


You're All I Know For Certain

by Rachel_Lu



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, F/M, Falling In Love, First Kiss, First Meetings, Orphans, Romantic Soulmates, Soulmates, Telepathic Bond, Telepathy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-28
Updated: 2017-01-10
Packaged: 2018-09-02 22:23:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 18
Words: 37,977
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8685595
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rachel_Lu/pseuds/Rachel_Lu
Summary: Rose and John are soulmates, but circumstances make it hard for them to meet in person. Will they be able to make it to each other?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> New AU!!!!! I hope you guys like it! I've purposely stayed away from fics like this so any similarities are unintentional. 
> 
> Enjoy!

She knew she wouldn't be able to hear him until she was thirteen, but she knew it was coming.  Every person had a soulmate, after all, they had to.  It was almost a rule. If someone didn't hear their soulmate when they turned thirteen, it was because their soulmate was dead.  And Rose was not about to believe that that was what was going to happen. 

"Now, Rose, some people just don't have soulmates," Jackie, her mother, told her.  "Please don't be upset if you can't hear your soulmate."

"What if I'm older than him?" Rose asked, her ten year old self bouncing around.  "What if he's older than me?  Do we both have to be thirteen?"

"Yes, you both have to be thirteen," Jackie explained for what felt like the millionth time.  "You shouldn't have to worry about it."

"I'm going to write him another letter!" She cried, and sprinted out of the room.  Jackie rolled her eyes.  Her daughter, was perhaps, too infatuated with a boy she didn't know yet.

Rose wrote letters to her soulmate every day.  Well, she said every day, but it was 'almost' every day.  They were letters about how many kids she wanted, what she wanted her wedding to be like.  They were very pure and sweet, and she told her soulmate how much she wanted to meet him, how much she couldn't wait.

Her handwriting was quite neat because of it, so Jackie didn't discourage it.  But her worst fear was that Rose would turn thirteen, and then fourteen, and then fifteen, and she would hear nothing from her soulmate.  Jackie hadn't heard from her soulmate till she was sixteen, and then he had died young.  She would hate for something like that to happen to Rose, especially since she was so excited to meet her soulmate.

Of course, that soulmate could be ever, he wasn't necessarily in London.  And Jackie didn't really have the funds to travel all over the world to find Rose's soulmate, though she would in a heartbeat, of course she would!  But Pete had left them with debt, and they had _just_ paid it off.  For all her luck, Rose probably wouldn't get to meet her soulmate until she was older. 

Rose didn't know any of this though, so she didn't give up.  She had notebooks full of letters to give her soulmate when they met, and she put them all in a wooden box.  Her mother thought it was the most beautiful and pure sort of love for someone that she hadn't even met yet. 

And then Rose turned thirteen. 

The idea of telepathy was widely accepted because everyone could do it, but only with their soulmate. And that path was opened up by the thirteenth birthday. It was intentional only, no accidental reading of minds or broken trust. It was flawless and pure and the most full sort of connection. 

Rose celebrated with her friends and her mother in their tiny flat on the Powell Estate.  She was celebrating a lot of things, as all kids are with their thirteenth birthday.  The start of puberty, which was a blessing and a curse, this was the age she was going to be allowed to wear makeup, and she was going to speak to her soulmate.

That was, if he was thirteen yet. 

She told herself that he _had_ to be, she'd _waited_ so patiently for this.  But she waited until Shareen, Keisha, and Mickey left before she flopped back on her bed, closed her eyes, and thought to her soulmate as hard as she could. 

_My name is Rose Tyler._

She held her breath, her nerves getting the best of her, her heart thundering against her chest. She wondered if he even heard her. There was no way to guarantee it, after all, to make sure he heard.  What if he was sleeping?  What if he didn't speak English?  Those stories were rare, but they happened, where an American was matched with someone from Mexico or someone from New Zealand was matched with someone from Japan. It was all terribly confusing and Rose really hoped that he lived close and spoke English.  

It took several moments, several long, aching moments, before she got a response.  It was quiet and shy, but it sounded oddly happy.

_Hello._

That wasn't his voice, not really, it was muffled because it was in her head, but it was _his._ Her soulmate.  He existed!  She grinned, happy, no, elated, that her soulmate was thirteen.  Or above thirteen. She didn't even care.  This was what she had been waiting for and writing letters for her whole life. They were so close!  Well, mentally.  In reality, she had no idea where he was, or what he doing.  So she asked him, trying not to be a complete goon about it because she was just so nervous.

_Where do you live?_

_I live in Scotland._

_Oh! I live in London._

_I've heard good things about London._

_Well, I've heard good things about Scotland._

_How old are you?_

_I'm thirteen._

_I'm fifteen._

Her heart sank.  She felt so bad. She knew there was nothing worse than waiting, and he had to wait two extra years for her. 

 _I'm really sorry,_ she thought to him earnestly, _I didn't mean to keep you waiting._

 _That's okay,_ he reassured her, and she imagined that he was quite a nice boy, _It's not like it's your fault.  You couldn't decide when you were born.  Since you're my soulmate, you might as well tell me your name again, yeah?  I didn't really hear you the first time. Wasn't paying attention. Sorry._

She grinned at his teasing and his sweet awkwardness.   _My name is Rose. Rose Tyler._

_Well, Rose Tyler, it's a pleasure to meet you. I'm John Smith._

"John Smith," She whispered aloud. That was him!  Her honest to goodness soulmate!  And she was so lucky, to have found him when she turned thirteen!  She wasn't sure she'd ever been so happy.

 _Rose, are you still here?_ He thought to her.

_Yeah, I'm still here.  Sorry, it's just a bit overwhelming._

_I suppose it is, all that anticipation.  Everyone gets it, I suppose._

_Did I worry you? I'm sorry._

She heard him laugh, though of course it wasn't his laugh, it was the idea of the laugh.  And she liked it.  

_Well, a little, but you're here now, so that's okay.  I told you it's not your fault after all, and it isn't._

Thinking to each other did hurt her head a little bit, but she was told that it always hurt the first couple times, and the more you did it, the more comfortable you got with it.  Of course, Rose had an idea that there was something else that that was said about.   She couldn't really remember what it was though. 

_Are you tired, Rose?_

_A little,_ she admitted after awhile. _I hope... I hope you're not too disappointed your soulmate is younger than you._

_No! Rose, not at all, don't think that!  I've had more fun talking to you than I have in... Well, a long time really._

_Oh, well I'm glad._

_You should get some rest, if you're tired._

_You're right.  Talk to me tomorrow?_

_Of course.  Goodnight, Rose._

_Goodnight._

She did end up falling asleep, but the next day was a Saturday so she was able to burst out from her room and yell "Mum!" 

Her mother jolted and almost flung eggs out of the frying pan.  "Rose, what?" She asked impatiently. 

"My soulmate!  He exists!" 

Jackie breathed out a sigh of relief and continued cooking the eggs. "Well, that's good dear. Who is he?"

"His name is John.  He lives in Scotland, and he's fifteen."

"Oh, well that's not that much of an age difference,"  Jackie said, feeling a bit comforted by it all, really.  "But Scotland? We can't afford that right now, Rose."

"I had a feeling you would say that," she said, "I think I could wait though, if I needed to. We could get to know each other. I could write letters to him that actually go to him."  She smiled. "He said he'd talk to me today."

"Well, that's good," Jackie said, "Good that he's well and proper interested, not one of those jerk blokes that ignore their soulmates till they start to have... Urges."

Rose laughed a little. "Mum?" She asked carefully.

"What, dear?"

"What was it like, when you... When you first talked to Dad?"

Jackie smiled, remembering it fondly now, instead of resentfully like she had in the past.  "It was really nice.  Nothing more than that, really.  But as we talked we started to realize how much we had in common, and I realized how lovely he was. We met when were were sixteen, and we loved each other whole hardheartedly, though we... We fought, of course.  I don't want you to think you'll meet him immediately, Rose."

"I didn't' ever really think that I would, really," Rose admitted.  "But as long as I meet him eventaully, that's all that matters, isn't it?"

As it happened, Rose heard him in her head as she was sitting down to breakfast. 

_Rose?_

_Hello, John!_

_I'm glad we're in the same time zone, otherwise I would never know when to contact you!_

_Yeah,_ Rose agreed, grinning to herself as she buttered her toast.   _What are you doing today?_

 _I have a lot of chores to do,_ he said, and she could practically feel his disappointment.

 _Where do you live, John?  Besides Scotland._ She asked. 

_An orphanage.  My Aunt is coming to get me next week!_

Rose felt her mouth drop open.  He lived in an orphanage!? That wasn't fair.   _Why didn't your aunt get you before?_ She demanded. 

_Because they had to wait for all the paperwork to go through.  My parents left me a lot of  money and they wanted to make sure she wasn't just taking me for my money._

_John, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked._

_No, it's okay. They died last year.  I can talk about it, and of course I want to talk about it with you._

She felt her heart swell with happiness. He _wanted_ to talk to her!  That was brilliant, really.   _I'm still sorry._

_I don't talk a lot really, not here.  In my head, though, I'm quite the rambler, so I'm glad you're here._

_I'm glad I'm here too, John._

_Where do you live, Rose?_

_On the Powell Estate, with my mum._

_No dad?_

_Dead._

_Well, we are_ quite _the pair, aren't we?_

_I suppose we were well matched._

_Rose, if I give you my aunt's address, will you write to me?  I don't know if I'll be able to multitask._

_Yes!  Of course I will!  Still in Scotland?_

_Yes._

They exchanged addresses and Rose had a feeling that they were very well matched indeed, if he wanted to write to her as well. It was truly a dream come true, in her opinion.  Rose tacked up a paper on her cork board that read 'John' and had his address on it.  

_I'm sorry, John, but how did... How did your parents die?_

_They were in a car accident.  I was... There the night it happened, but my sister wasn't._

_You have a sister?_

_Yeah.  Her name's Donna.  She's coming to my aunt's too... Guess I forgot._

_There has been a lot of excitement, after all,_ Rose said, hoping that he would agree.

 _Yeah, you are really exciting,_ he told her, and she did think that he was being sincere.  

Like the night before, they chatted quite a bit, but Rose had a headache and said she would send him a letter today so that he would get it by the time he arrived at his Aunt's house.  He told her that he would reply the day he got it. 

He went off to do his chores and she went off to do whatever it is the thirteen year olds do, mostly think about boys, which was certainly what Rose was doing, especially now that her soulmate (a boy!!) was within reach. 

She tried not to be angry at her mother, because she knew it wasn't her fault, but it was hard to not feel a bit of resentment.  This was her soulmate, and she wanted to meet him. 

But Jackie Tyler, even if they manged to scrounge up the money, was going to make sure that she waited.


	2. Chapter 2

For any thirteen year old in the world, learning telepathy was a struggle. It was often painful and had to be done lying down when they first started. Rose Tyler was not an exception for this rule. For as often as she and John talked, she had to take aspirin afterwards or have a cup of tea and lay down.

She wanted to ask John if it did the same thing to him, but she didn’t want to discourage him from speaking to her, and she didn’t want him to think she was weak. He was older, after all, so maybe it didn’t bother him the same way that it bothered her. So she begged off as tired when her head started to hurt and hoped he wouldn’t notice. Of course, John, being incredibly clever, noticed, and called her out on it.

_Are you ill, Rose?_

_No, of course not! Why would you ask?_

_You’re always tired. Doesn’t that mean you’re sick or something?_

She blushed without really meaning to. Of course he would figure out that something was going on with her. They’d been speaking for a couple of days and she went to bed early pretty much every night so that she could relax and get her mind to settle.

_I didn’t want to tell you. It’s embarrassing, she admitted finally._

_Is something bother you? Would you rather we didn’t talk as much?_

He sounded so insecure (well, her interpretation of him speaking into her mind made him seem insecure) that she hurried to reassure him.

_No! I don’t want us to talk less, I love when we talk! I’ve just been getting… Headaches. From all the telepathy._

_Oh. Of course. Rose, I think everyone gets headaches._

_Do they?_

_Yes. Or at least, I do. I’ve heard people talking about it._

_Did you ask them?_

_No, I listened. At the orphanage. Even orphans have soulmates. I don’t talk there very much, though._

_You don’t?_

_You’re really the only one I talk to, Rose._

She wanted to feel a bit of pride that he felt so comfortable talking to her when he didn’t to anyone else, but then she found herself feeling a little guilty for it. After all, he probably didn’t have any friends besides his sister, if that was the case, and well, that just wasn’t fair. He deserved to have friends after all, she didn’t want him to be lonely.

_You shouldn’t be alone._

  
_It’s quite alright,_ he reassured her, _I don’t even talk to my aunt that much._  


  
_Why not?? She’s your family!_ Rose cried.

  
_I remind her of my dad,_ was his simple reply, and she felt as though her heart shattered into a thousand pieces for him.

She had grown rather attached to him within the days since her birthday, but she had an idea that even if she hadn’t been so terribly fond of him that his story would still break her heart. She knew losing her father had been hard on her mum, but she hadn’t really been old enough to remember him, which, she was told, was quite a shame.

But John had lost his parents last year, which was quite enough time to remember them in, and she found she wanted to give him a big hug.

  
_Did you send your letter?_ He asked a few minutes later, while she was lost in her thoughts.

It was odd to have another person inside your head, because they can come in and burst through your thoughts at the most random times. It felt like her train of thought dissipated around her and all that was there was him, filling her mind and making her want to answer his questions with alarming urgency.

  
_Yeah!_ She said happily, hoping to bring up his mood as well as she started to get ready for school. She’d gotten up early to talk to him, and it seemed that he was always awake.

It was, perhaps, a bit too early to be discussing such heavy things. They should be talking about more…. Friendly topics, to get to know each other. She probably shouldn’t even know that his parents were dead, not yet. That was a conversation when people were more open to each other. Well, that’s what her mother would say, at least.

But this was her soulmate, and perhaps things were a bit different with a soulmate. She could be entirely wrong, but she didn’t think that she was. She closed her eyes and sighed.

  
_Good! I can’t wait to get it!_ He sounded (or felt, rather) much happier, and she didn’t feel so bad about talking about his parents. She wondered what his voice really sounded like, or if his mind’s voice was clearer than the voice he actually spoke with. He said he didn’t talk very much, after all, so it would only make sense. She wondered if his voice was done changing.

She was suddenly quite envious of people who met their soulmates when they were young. Some childhood friends would get the happy surprise of hearing their best friend in their head when they turned thirteen. Rose had always hoped that that wouldn’t happen to her and Mickey. Not that having him for a soulmate would be awful, of course, but he was a bit irresponsible and not really what she was looking for. Not that a thirteen year old knows what they’re looking for, of course (but they all think that they do).

_John?  
Yes?_

_I’ve got to go to school. I’m gonna take some medicine for my headache, though._

_Alright. I suppose I should get ready for class, too. Talk to me when you get home?_

_Sure!_

They ‘signed off’ as Rose had started calling it in her head, and she threw down a couple of aspirin and then bolted out the door.

Shareen more than anyone else had been quite interested in hearing about Rose’s soulmate. It seemed to be such an important and wonderful thing, and Shareen didn’t have hers yet.

“Well, John is fifteen,” Rose told her friend at lunch. “Maybe your soulmate is just a little younger than you, that’s all.”

Shareen sniffed. “Well, that would be alright, I suppose,” she said, “Would’ve liked someone older, you know.”

Rose rolled her eyes. “You don’t get to flip through a soulmate magazine,” she said.

“Well, you and John have got on since your birthday!” Keisha exclaimed. “Isn’t that great?”

Rose smiled, “Yeah, it is.”

Mickey sighed heavily from where he was unwrapping his peanut butter and jelly sandwich. “You are all ridiculous, you know. A soulmate isn’t perfect.’

“No,” Shareen agreed, “But it seems like Rose’s is pretty close.”

“But he lives so far,” Rose sighed, “I’ll have to save up all by myself to go meet him.”

“I think that would be worth it,” Keisha said dreamily. “Think about it. You go to him in Scotland, and he sweeps you up in his arms, and… Oh! How romantic!”

“I’m thirteen.”

“You know who else is fifteen and eyeing you up, Rose? Jimmy Stone.” Shareen said abruptly, pointing at Rose with an apple slice.

Rose felt her eyebrows shoot up towards her hairline. “Well, then, Jimmy Stone had better realize that I’m spoken for,” she said primly. “Doesn’t he have a soulmate?”

“Not so far,” Mickey piped up, “Might be one who’s destined to be alone.” he snorted, “Don’t think I’d mind if he died alone.”

“That’s not very nice, Mickey,” Keisha scolded.

“Maybe not, but it’s true.”

“If you don’t want him, can I have him?” Shareen asked, grinning widely.

“He doesn’t want anyone two years younger than him anyway, I think you’re just seeing things,” Rose said, trying not to think too hard about Jimmy Stone. He was already going to be trouble, with both girls and school, she could see it. And she didn't’ like it. Even if neither of them had soulmates and they paired up, she would think that.

That happened too, that there were people who pretended they had soulmates so that they wouldn’t feel left out. Of course, Jimmy held out that he was left without a soulmate quite proudly. It left him ‘available’, he said, according to Mickey, and girls insecure about their own lack of a soulmate would probably go to him.

Rose shuddered. She was very lucky that she had found John so early. She hoped that he hadn’t tried to go after any other girls before she showed up. Then again, he said he didn’t talk much, so maybe he was just so quiet that the girls all stayed away. She hated thinking that way, but she didn’t want anybody with him but her. And she couldn’t even be with him yet.

“Rose?” Shareen asked, snapping her fingers under Rose’s nose, “You still here?”

 

She shook herself and looked back at her friend. "Yeah.  Where else would I be?"

"In your own head, apparently. What were you thinking about?"  Shareen shimmied her shoulders.  "Your soulmate?"

She blushed and looked away. "That's none of your business," she said, looking down at her lunch tray.

"Can we stop talking about Rose's bloody soulmate?"  Mickey rolled his eyes, "God, you girls and your romance, it's so annoying."

"Oh, shut up, Mickey, you'll see someday when you get _your_ soulmate," Keisha said, defending her friend.  "I want to hear more about John.  None of us have our soulmates yet."

"I haven't known him that long," Rose said quietly, and she wondered what John would want her to tell her friends about him. Probably not that he was an orphan. She expected he wanted to keep that between the two of them.  

"Come on, you must be able to share something," Shareen whined, "He's brilliant, you said that."

She nodded. "He has a sister," she finally said, thinking of what John had told her.  "Her name is Donna.  She's eighteen."

"Oh, you'll have a sister in law!" Keisha clapped her hands, "The sister you never had!  That's brilliant! Don't you think that's brilliant, Mickey?"

Mickey bit into his sandwich and grumbled around it. "Sure.  Bloody brilliant."

"Don't swear."

"You swear all the time!"

"Are you making a point? I don't see one."

Rose rolled her eyes at their bickering. "Sorry Mickey, we'll stop now, since you can't handle my possible happiness."

"It's not that, Rose, you know it's not that." Mickey protested, not sure quite what to say really, and it was evident in his eyes that he was confused. "You know, never mind, you can talk about John all you want, I don't care."

"Alright, we'll quit," Keisha said, trying to moderate the argument. "Let's not fight.  That won't help anybody."

"I guess not, but you're all bloody annoying," Mickey snapped.  Rose felt herself sink a little bit.

_John?_

Only a slight pause. _Yes, Rose?_

_Good afternoon._

_Home from school already?_

_No._

_Bored?_

She smiled a bit, in spite of herself.   _A little, yeah. How did you know that?_

_Because you said you'd talk to me after school and it's not after school._

_Am I bothering you?_

_Of course not! Rose, I'm thrilled you're talking to me. I'm in class and was getting a bit bored myself._

"Ooh, she's talking to him!" Shareen clapped her hands. "I can _sense_ it, you're talking to him, aren't you, Rose?"

Rose smiled a little and blushed. "Yeah," She said softly, as though it was going to bother John if she spoke too loudly.

"Oh!" That's so cute," Shareen said dreamily, and leaned her chin in her hand.  

_So, you're... Hi,_ Rose felt a little bashful since she didn't have anything else to say. She just wanted to talk to him. 

_Hi.  Are you okay?_

_Yeah._

_Good._

_When are you going to your Aunt's?  
_

_Four days, now._

_Do you think you'll talk to her?_ She asked, wishing that he would, because his aunt was family, after all. 

_I'll talk to you and Donna,_ John's thought was cautiously put.   _I don't know if I'm ready for all that._

_You don't talk in your classes?_

_Nope._

_Well, I'll bet you have a nice voice._

_How would you know that?_ His tone was happy and light, _You've never really heard me speak._

_You seem like you have a kind voice,_ she thought to him.  

"Rose? Time to go to class," Shareen winked to Rose, and Rose blushed. 

_I've got to go._

_Okay. Talk to me later?_

_I will._

She went off to class, simultaneously wanting to know what was wrong with Mickey, and, inexplicably, wanting to know _exactly_ what John's voice sounded like.


	3. Chapter 3

Time passed, as it does.   John moved in with his and Donna's Aunt Sylvia, and he told Rose that he still wasn't speaking.  He didn't feel like he was important enough, he said.  It made Rose's heart break, and so she tried her best to make him feel like he was important.  

Rose turned fourteen, and John sent her a copy of the book that she had been wanting.  And John turned sixteen.  Rose sent him a swirly brown tie, telling him that since he was soon to be an adult, he would need it for all his business meetings.  They wrote letters and spoke telepathically, but never anything else, and Rose was a bit sick of it. They had talked for a year and she still didn't know what his voice sounded like. 

_John?_

_Yes, Rose?_ His response came almost immediately.  

_I think... Do you want- if you want, we could talk on the phone?_

_I haven't..._ He stopped. 

She waited for a few moments, a few very long moments, until finally she asked again, timidly, _John?_

_Okay._

She blew out a sigh of relief.   _We don't have to if you don't want to,_ She assured him, _this is good too, what we're doing, it's... it's good._

 _I know it is,_ he replied, _But it's hard to... Connect, I suppose._

_Yeah.  No, we don't have to talk about it right now if you want to, we can do that later._

_It's been a while since I talked and someone listened, Rose._

_I would listen,_ She tried to be forceful about it, but she didn't think it was coming across the way that she wanted it to. 

 _Of course I know that,_ he reassured her, _You're in my head and you listen to that rambling all the time.  I know you would listen to my voice._

 _I would_ love _to listen to your voice,_ She said emphatically. 

The feeling of laughter echoed through her head and she could feel John's merry response to it. _Alright,_ he promised, _We'll talk on the phone soon.  Not... Not right now, yeah? But soon._

She agreed, and went to school.

Her head stopped hurting, and they talked even more often. Her teachers were very annoyed because they caught her talking to him in class, as she would zone out and not pay fantastic attention in class.

"Rose Tyler! Doesn't your soulmate have classes?"

"Well, yes, but-"

"Then tell him to pat attention and get back into the lesson, please."

"Yes, ma'am."

She did so, but it was hard to wait until she could talk to him again.  

Mickey got more and more irritating, and Rose couldn't understand why he was being the way he was. "Why are you acting like this?" She asked, "You're being so ridiculous!"

"Shut up, Rose, you don't know anything."

"I'm sure your soul mate is coming-"

He sent her the sharpest look that she could imagine and she took a step back, physically wounded by the daggers his eyes shot at her. "Drop it, Rose. I don't want to talk about any bloody soulmates, especially with you, got it?"

She recoiled, drawing into herself and looking away from him.  "Yeah. Sorry."

Shareen caught her soulmate on her fourteenth birthday, because she _shared a birthday_ with her soulmate and he had just turned thirteen.  Keisha got her soulmate a few days later.  The two of them wondered if their soulmates knew each other.  

Everyone talked to Mickey about the whole soulmate thing, but he didn't seem angry that he didn't have a soulmate.  There was something else behind it, Rose could tell, but she didn't know what it was.  She wished she could just ask, but since Rose's soulmate had come into the picture, he had grown quite distant from her. 

 _John?_ She called to him late one night. She didn't expect him to be up, of course, but the boy was full of surprises. 

_Yeah, Rose?_

_Did I ever tell you about my friends?_

_Shareen, Keisha, and Mickey._

_Yeah. Well, I'm having a problem with one of them._

_Which?_

_Mickey._

_Ah. I... I suspected you might._ His voice was halting and uncertain.

She felt her brows furrow in confusion. _What?_

_Yes. You told me about him and I just had a feeling._

_You.... How?_

_Well, first of all, tell me what trouble you're having with him, yeah?_

Rose was surprised that he wanted to talk to her about it, because she knew that boys didn't want to talk about feelings, but it appeared that hers did, and it made her wildly happy. Was it possible that she could talk to John about things? Things that were important to her?  She grinned a little to herself before remembering that she was upset.  

She had to get back on the topic of hand, since she was busy thinking about John and not the issues that she was having with Mickey.   

_He's been weird since I turned thirteen.  He's always angry and-_

_Rose. Can't you see?_ John seemed almost a little sad, or at least a little frustrated.  

 _See what?_ She closed her eyes and focused on what he was trying to tell her.  It was a few more moments before he responded to her.  

_Mickey has a thing for you._

The words struck her and she felt them sink in.  Rose screwed up her nose, confused.  That couldn't be right. Mickey couldn't have a thing for her. That was just... Rude, really. When she had a soulmate and he was probably going to be getting his in the near future.  One could even call it a betrayal.  That was certainly what Rose would call it.  She wished that Mickey would see it that way.  But of course, John couldn't possibly know for certain that Mickey had a crush on Rose, because John had never _met_ Mickey.

 _No, that's not possible,_ Rose thought to him earnestly, _I can't...  He doesn't... He's not my soulmate!_

 _Now, Rose, I've never seen you, but your thoughts are intelligent and your mind is the most beautiful thing in the world.  I can only imagine what you_ look _like.   It would probably be difficult for any boy in your school to not have some sort of feelings for you._

Rose smiled to herself and curled up tighter in her bed, feeling her heart soar. He'd complimented her before, but not like that.  This was even better.  He was feeling things for her, she was sure.  And she was feeling a lot of things for him that were unexplained.  She felt like she loved him, but maybe she didn't, because she was young, but... She certainly felt something. 

_That doesn't mean... He's not allowed to like me, John.  You're my soulmate.  You're the only one allowed to like me._

_I know I am.  And I do.  But he's closer to you than I am, technically, and he probably thinks that he's entitled to you, in some way._

_Well, he's not,_ Rose thought fiercely.   _No one is entitled to me, but I've wanted a soulmate since I was a little girl._

_I was hoping you'd say something like that._

_You don't go back on a soulmate, John. You don't. And I certainly wouldn't go back on you for_ Mickey, _or anyone else for that matter._

_Did it occur to you that maybe he's avoiding his soulmate?_

_He wouldn't._

_If he's fixated on you, he might._  John sounded almost mournful.   _Boys are quite territorial, Rose.  Especially teenage boys._

 _But that's not fair to her!_ His _soulmate!_ Rose practically shouted. _If he's doing that at all, that is._

_I know, Rose, I'm just telling you what I think, not what I know for certain.  But you don't hold any interest for him, do you?  
_

_No!  Of course not!_ She was trying very hard to reassure him, because she wanted him to know exactly what she thought of him, that there wasn't anybody else who was an option, and never would be.

_Alright, I was just.. Making sure._

_John.  I promised I'd be with you the second I spoke to you._

_You're right._ He sounded a bit more assured now, which made relief wash over her.  

_Mm hmm. I am._

_Rose?_

_Yes, John?_

_It's a bit late, you know._

_Yeah, I know._

_Was Mickey bothering you that much?_

_I mean, we've been friends since we were two, so it was weird that he was being so strange with me._

Rose blew out her cheeks and waited for John to speak.  It took a few moments, and she was afraid maybe she shouldn't have said anything, that maybe she did something wrong.  He probably didn't' want to hear about Mickey. Oh, God, what had she been thinking?

_Rose?_

_John._

_I think I love you._

_I think I love you, too._

_Oh, well thank goodness for that._

She giggled, and gazed into the darkness, feeling a little bit giddy.  He loved her! And he said it first! Oh, this was the stuff that only dreams were made of. 

 _Go to bed,_ John said fondly. 

_Okay. You have to do it too, then.  Goodnight._

_Goodnight, Rose._

She went to bed with a full and happy feeling in her heart. 

The next day, Rose stormed right up to Mickey and crossed her arms over her chest. "Mickey Smith. Do you have a soul mate?"

Mickey blinked and looked up from his table, where he was playing a trading card game with three other boys. 

"Rose, what are you doing?"

One of the other boys snickered, "Come on, mate, most of us have our soulmates by now. Don't you?"

"I didn't- I don't- Rose, what's this coming from?"

"It's coming from you maybe not doing what's right."

"Isn't your soulmate an older bloke, Rose?" another boy piped up, looking at her expectantly.  

"He's sixteen, not that it's any of your business."

"Whoa.  Look at _that,_ " the boy whistled under his breath. "That's why you're so threatened, Mick."

"Thomas!" Mickey hissed through gritted teeth, and the boy made a face, realizing his mistake.

Rose scowled. "That's what John said."

"You talked to _John_ about me?" Mickey squeaked. "Not cool, Rose!"

"Plenty cool!" Rose shouted, "I was matched with a great guy, and you're my best friend, so what am I supposed to do? Not talk to him about stuff?"

Mickey clenched his jaw.  "Rose, I can't believe you did this to me."

"Hey, not my fault that you can't be bothered to talk to me." Rose said, spreading her hands in mock surrender.  "But you never answered my question."

"I've never tried to get in touch with my soulmate," Mickey said. "Doesn't matter." He gathered up his cards and gave the boys a nod.  "I'll see you at lunch, Rose."  He walked away then, and didn't look back. 

Rose thought about it the whole rest of the day. If Mickey had a crush on her, how was she supposed to get it to stop?  She wanted to be with John, she was _supposed_ to be with John.  Mickey's hatred of him actually made her angry and she wanted this all to stop. 

There usually wasn't drama about soulmates, but of course, there was the odd person or two that decided they didn't' want their soulmate.  But that didn't mean they were separated from their soulmate mentally. They could still get in touch with each other.  That was the most torturous part; if someone wanted to be in touch with their soulmate, and the other person didn't.  It broke her heart, really, and she knew it wouldn't happen to her. She wanted to be with John, and she knew that he wanted to be with her.

It was several nights later, after all the issues with Mickey (he was simply pretending that nothing was happening) when John spoke to her, his voice sounding anxious in her head.  

_Rose?_

It was about eight o' clock and she was trying to do her homework. Not an odd time to talk to him, of course, but he was usually a little earlier or a little later. She furrowed her brows, but of course, she was going to talk to him. 

_John?_

_I need-_ he stopped and Rose got a little bit afraid. 

_John, are you alright?_

_No, I need to... Can I-_ His thoughts were all jumbled, and that alone was enough to make her break out into a sweat with nerves.

_What is it?_

_I need to hear your voice._


	4. Chapter 4

Rose scrambled, shocked at how surprised and afraid he seemed.   _Yeah, I'll give you my phone number, hang on one second._

_Okay._

She had _just_ gotten a mobile, brand new, and so she pulled it out and went on it to look and see what her number was.  She thought it over to John, who didn't say anything for a few moments.  And then her mobile rang.

She answered it quickly, jamming the send button and pressing the phone to her ear.  "Hello?" She said anxiously.

"Rose."  was all he said at first.  Rose nearly broke from how he sounded.  His voice was gravelly from disuse, and she remembered how he said he didn't talk much.  She blew out a sigh.

"Are you alright?" She asked him softly, trying to be as gentle as possible with him, considering how broken he sounded. 

"I needed to hear you," he said softly. 

"Why?  What's wrong?" She asked. 

"I'm still living at my Aunt's." he sounded like he was speaking so that no one else would hear him.  "She just... Her and Donna, they won't stop talking about my parents."

Rose slumped.  She knew it was hard for him to hear about his parents, because he'd lost them so recently.  But she wasn't sure why it affected him so much more aggressively than it affected Donna.  

"I'm sorry, John."

"It's my fault they're dead, Rose. It's my fault."

"No, John, it was not your fault," she said emphatically.  "You didn't do anything to make them die."

"I was in the car," he was breathing hard, like he was trying not to cry.  "I was in the car when they were in the accident, I only survived because I was in the back seat."

"How is that your fault?" Rose demanded.  "Just because you were in a better spot then them?  John-"

"I was talking to them, I must have been distracting them, and Donna keeps talking about how the anniversary of their death is coming and I _can't-"_

"John!  That is not your fault!  They were your parents, of course you were talking to them. You shouldn't feel guilty for that.  That's what's bothering you?"

"Yes," he said in a choked voice. 

"And you needed to hear my voice?"

"You're alive," he whispered. "You're the only thing I care about that's still alive."

Rose felt her heart practically melt at that, and she leaned back, trying to bring him back. "Your sister is alive, John.  And so is your aunt."

"I can't talk to them like I talk to you."

"I can tell."

"You can?"

"Your voice is scratchy, like you haven't talked for days."

"I want to talk," he said insistently, "I want to talk to you."

"You're talking to me right now," she said encouragingly.  "Tell me something nice, something that makes you happy."

"You," his voice was gentle all of a sudden, but he was still breathing heavily, since he had _just_ managed to calm down.  "If we hadn't been matched, Rose, I don't know what I would've done."

Rose smiled softly.  "Me too," she said, "I'm sorry I made you wait."

"That's not your fault," John said.  "I'm sorry," he admitted after a pause, "I wanted to make sure you were real. For a moment there I thought that I had made you up somehow."

She leaned her cheek a little firmer into the phone.  "You know, you didn't make me up.  I'm right here."

"You are," he said, and his voice sounded clearer now, like the cracks had broken and the smoothness of his tenor voice found its way to her.  "You're real."

"John?"

"Yes?"

"I like your voice, you should talk more."

"I'll talk to you," he offered.

She laughed a little.  "Yeah, I'll keep calling you if you want."

"Can we still talk like we used to?" he asked.  "It's, like-"

"Intimate," Rose finished, shifting herself, wishing that he was with her.  She wanted to look at him.  

"Yeah," he breathed out on a ragged sigh.  

She talked to him for another couple of hours, their voices growing lower as their talking continued.  She didn't want her parents to hear, after all, and if John was heard speaking, they would know what he was up to, or they would barge in and ask, and John wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone but Rose. 

"I wish I could meet you," she said, leaning her head back against the headboard of her bed.  

"I wish I could meet you too," he whispered.  "Thank you, for talking to me."

"Do you need to go?"

She could hear the smile in his voice when he replied, "I mean, yeah, we've both got school tomorrow, don't we?" 

"Yeah," she admitted carefully.  "Okay.  Will you call me tomorrow?"

He paused for a moment, "If you want me to."

"I want you to."

"Then I'll call you."

"John?"

"Yes?"

"I love you."

"I love you too."

"Bye."

"Goodnight, Rose."

They rang off and Rose found herself grinning a little madly to herself.  She got ready for bed and laid down, cuddled up under her covers.  Her mum came in, smiling a little at the happy look on her daughter's face.

"Who was that?" She asked, already knowing the answer.

She sat up, beaming. "It was John." Her smile fell.  "But... Mum, I feel so bad for him. His parents... He says he's the reason that they died."

Jackie, sensing Rose's distress, walked to her bed and sat down at the foot of it. "What happened?"

"They were in a car accident and he lived."

Jackie felt her heart go out to the boy, full of motherly love as it was, and she reached up to push Rose's hair out of her face.  "Survivor's guilt," She said, smiling sadly. "That happens sometimes, sweetheart."

"He shouldn't feel that way, though, it's not his fault they died.  He was just talking to them."

"Of _course_ he didn't do anything wrong," Jackie said, and looked at Rose's bedside clock. "Well, either way, it's a bit late, and you should be getting to bed, my dear."

Rose pursed her lips a little.  "You're right."  She said, "Goodnight, mum."

"Goodnight, sweetheart."  She pulled her daughter into a hug and switched the light out on the way out of the room. 

Rose sighed happily as she burrowed down in the covers, John's voice ringing in her ears.

****

As time passed, Rose and John sent each other pictures from their daily adventures.  Rose took a picture of her and her lunch table, excluding Mickey because he 'didn't want to be in it'.  She sent it with a text 'I'm the blonde one' and he told her that she was so beautiful he'd know her anywhere. 

He, on the other hand, didn't have many friends, but the relationship with his aunt and sister slowly mended, so his voice was less scratchy when they spoke on the phone, and his smiles were wide and happy in his pictures with his family.  

He turned eighteen, and she turned sixteen.  He had been completing his schooling and vigorously applying to universities. She had hoped, quite selfishly really, that he would find a school here in London, but she knew that was too wishful thinking.   

They talked nearly all the time, what with phone calls, texting, letters, and telepathy.  But Rose found herself realizing that she wasn't bored of him. In fact, she craved to hear his voice in person, to look at him while he talked.  Which, of course, was what had inspired her to create a Skype account. She had added Shareen and Keisha on it and was hoping to add John, if he was willing to talk to her on it at all. 

Then again, he was her soulmate, after all, he wouldn't tell her _no._ Would he?  Oh, God, what if he said no?  She had to ask anyway, she finally decided.  She kept tapping her pencil on her desk, just to try to alleviate her anxiety, but that only succeeded in drawing up a bunch of anxiety in the students around her during their quiet study time. 

Rose was not studying.

"Rose?"

"Mm?"

"Stop tapping your pen, please."

"Oh, sorry."

They were all quiet for a moment before Rose was feeling particularly inspired to speak. She tapped on Mickey's shoulder.

"Mickey?"

"Yeah?" He turned over his shoulder from where he sat in front of her.  She waited for a moment until she was certain that she had his full attention.  

"Did you ever find your soulmate?"

"Bugger off, Rose."

"I'm serious," she frowned, "You should reach out to her."

"I don't want to, alright?  I don't want to."

"Well, you should," Rose said, "I think you might be trying to hold onto something that's not going to happen.  You have to let it go, Micks. The perfect girl, _literally_ the perfect girl for you, is out there somewhere, and you're completely ignoring her!  That probably makes her feel bloody awful!"

He slumped in his seat a little and turned away from her.  For a few moments she thought he was ignoring her, until he turned over his shoulder again. "I'll think about it, alright?" He said harshly, "No promises, but I'll think about it."

"Good."

_Rose?_

He spoke to her just a few moments after she looked back down at her paper, and she promptly lost all focus again. 

_Yeah?_

_I got accepted to Uni!_

She felt her heart swell with pride. _John, that's great! Where will you be going?_

_A school here, in Scotland, but my holidays will be longer._

_What are you trying to say?_

_I'm saying that maybe soon we could... Meet up?_

Rose grinned to herself, curling and uncurling her toes in her trainers due to some quite giddy excitement.   _Yes._

_Oh, good._

_Did you honestly think that I'd say no?_

_I... I wasn't sure. You're sixteen, after all._

_And you're eighteen. That's only two years apart. My mum and dad were farther apart._

She felt the chuckle that rumbled through his head. _Yeah, that's true,_ he said, _Would your mum approve?_

She chewed her bottom lip, as she really hadn't considered that and supposed that she really should have to begin with.  

_Oh.  I'm gonna have to go ahead and ask her then._

_You do that, and you tell me what she says._

_I will._

_Are you in class?_

_Yes._

_Ah, Rose, you should've told me, I don't want to interrupt your classes._

_I don't mind._

_Cheeky.  But you should be paying attention._

_I am._

_Not to_ me.   _What's gotten into you?_

She could hear the mirth in his voice and grinned a little to herself, doodling in the margins of her paper.  She loved talking to him. It was just so easy, since they had known each other for so long.  No false pretenses, no pretending to be the perfect soulmate, because really, who was?  

_I dunno.  Hey, do you want to Skype later?_

_Oh, you've a Skype now?_

_Just downloaded it._

_Alright, then I guess I'll have to get one.  
_

_You don't have one?_

_Rose, I don't have_ friends.  

_Bet that'll change in Uni though.  Bet you'll have all kinds of girls hanging all over you too, since you're gorgeous in all._

_Well, good job I don't want any of them, isn't it?_ He thought to her firmly, settling her jealousy and anxiety in one strike. 

_Good job, then.  So you'll Skype me?_

_What's your user?  I'll make one and add you on it._

_RoseTyler910._

_Quite original._ His voice was dry and sarcastic and it nearly made her laugh.

 _Can you do better?_ She challenged.

He scoffed at her. _Of course I can, just you wait. Now, you pay attention to your class, do you hear me?_

_Yeah, alright._

_Love you._

_Love you too._

That was the only way they signed off now, no need for goodbyes, because it just made one of them contact the other right away again and then they never got anything productive done, which, in Rose's mind, really wasn't such a bad thing after all.  

She paid attention in class and tried desperately to ignore the doodles that she'd done in her notebook. Ugh, when had she become such a sap? She was certain that she hadn't been that way when she had first spoken to John. 

Then again, she wasn't sure that she was complaining about it.  


	5. Chapter 5

They were going to Skype that night.  Jackie hadn't been so sure of it, but she trusted her daughter.  In a world without soulmates, she wasn't sure she would've allowed it, but soulmates were forever, and if anything uncooth was happening, she would know. Those motherly instincts of hers were quite strong, after all, and so she was going to take that for what it was. She told Rose as such, who blushed and said that she was going to be alright.  

She set her computer on her bed and sat cross legged before it, looking blankly at the home page and chewing her lip nervously. 

A little blip floated across the screen and she smiled. 

_Friend request from TheDoctorJohn_

She laughed a little. He had tried being creative. He was going for his doctorate after all, it made perfect sense., 

 _Not any more original than mine,_ She told him smugly. 

_Oi, should I not call you or something?_

_No, no, that's not what I meant,_ she reassured him. 

She could hear that tell tale sound of laughing against and it made her so happy she thought she would burst, not that she knew exactly what it sounded like in real life.  

Rose accepted the friend request and he immediately called her. She answered the call immediately and saw his lovely face pop up on the grainy screen. 

"Hello, Rose!" he said, though it sounded like a quiet yell, because he didn't want to speak too loudly in his house still.

"Hi," she replied, grinning, a bit like a loon, she imagined, "How are things?"

"Things are fine, thanks," he said, "Are you quite ready for summer?" 

She tucked her hair behind her ear and nodded. "Yeah. Got one more final, then all I really have to worry about are my A-levels next year."

"Oh, you'll ace those, I have no doubt," John said, waving his hand, and Rose thought that if John believed she could do it, with as brilliant as _he_ was, then perhaps she could do anything.  

"No, I don't want to talk about school," she said, looking at the work that was in front of her, almost on the keyboard of her laptop. "It's all so overwhelming."

He sighed and put on his glasses, which she had only seen in one of his pictures but thought made him look rather fetching.  He glanced around his surroundings.  "You're not kidding. It doesn't get any better, I promise," he said, chuckling a little to himself. 

"That's encouraging." She said, softly, "But I don't think I'll ever get into Uni, not to mention that we can't really afford it, mum and me."

"Try for some scholarships," he encouraged her, "You're more brilliant than you think you are, Rose, you can and will do amazing things, I promise." 

She felt a bit overwhelmed by his affections, as she always did, because he was so bloody nice to her that she could hardly stand it.  "Bet you say that to all the girls," she teased. 

John's brows furrowed. "Rose.  I don't... I don't even talk to other girls."

She smiled. "I know."

"How's, um... How's Mr. Mickey, then?"

"He won't reach out to his soulmate," Rose said, running her fingers through her hair. "I think he's trying to get..."

"You?" He asked softly. "I know he is.  I want to see you."

"You're looking at me."

"I want to see you in person. I find myself becoming quite possessive of you and it's quite embarrassing really, because I know that we're pledged and soulmates and I trust you, but I don't trust him."

She smiled. "I honestly think that Mickey always assumed that we would be getting together, that we would be soulmates. And now that we aren't, he doesn't know quite what to do with himself."

"It's been three years." John replied, "Isn't that enough time for him to get over you?"

Rose raised her eyebrows at him. "You were right, you are a bit possessive, aren't you?"

His shoulders slumped. "I'm sorry. I know that's not right of me, at all, that I should trust you explicitly, and I do, it's just everyone else that I don't trust."

"Mickey being one of them?"

"Yes.  Rose, you're beautiful, absolutely gorgeous.  I think there are certainly boys in your school noticing that.  Of course there are.  There are probably a million boys out there wishing you were their soulmate."

"John?"

"What?"

She smiled at him. "A million boys don't go to my school, John."

He laughed, his smile lighting up his entire face. "You're right, of course," he said.  "But I meant that I want to see you.  I just can't travel this summer."

She bit the inside of her cheek. "Neither can I. We can't afford it."

He scratched the back of his neck. "I really do wish that we lived closer," he said, "You're the best friend I've ever had, Rose."

Her heart felt as though it was about to burst with affection for him.  He was the purest and sweetest boy, no, _man,_ she had ever known.  "And you're mine," she admitted, "You're incredible," she said, "Clever and all, too." She sighed, "I can't believe that you're gonna be a doctor."

"Well," he said, drawing it out and looking up, squinting, "Not a proper doctor, or a medical doctor, not really.  I wanna be a teacher, teach physics at Uni."

"And then have all the girls there hit on you?"

"Blimey, both of us are terribly insecure, aren't we?" John asked, laughing a little awkwardly. 

She blushed, because she knew he was right. she was worried because John was the most attractive man she had ever laid eyes on and she had a hard time believing that other women weren't noticing that. Women more his age.  Women closer to where he lived. 

"How's your aunt?" she asked, changing the subject rather blatantly and picking at a spot on her duvet. 

"She's good," he said, and she could feel him watching her through her computer monitor. "We've been... Talking.  I've been talking to Donna a lot too, I'll have you know."

"Good on you!" Rose said, lifting her eyes and smiling, "I know that's hard for you, John.  I really do."

"Well, it is, but like you said, they're family, and it's time I stopped holding a lot of things against them, I think."

She tilted her head to the side and watched him carefully. "Do you think things are better? I know nothing can replace your parents, but you love your aunt and your sister, don't you?"

"Of course I do, it's just not the same," he admitted.  

"JOHN!" A loud voice called from off his screen. 

"That's Donna." He said, smiling at her through the screen but making it feel as though he was right there. 

"John!" The voice called again, even closer, and the door to John's room opened and he looked up with surprise on his face. 

"Oi!  My room!"

"Yes, and Aunt's house."  Suddenly a woman with sleek red hair appeared in frame, and she looked at the screen.  "Oh, and this is Rose?"

"Yes, Donna, this is Rose," John rubbed his thumb and forefinger against his forehead and took his glasses off.  "I've told them all about you."

"So that's what you talk to them about?" Rose asked, smiling a little bit. 

"Oh, yeah, you're all he talks about," Donna rolled her eyes. "Mad for you, he is. Which I guess is good, because you're his soulmate and all that."

"Donna, was there a reason that you came in here?" John asked, his cheeks tinging pink. He didn't look at the computer for a few moments.

"Oh, yeah," She stood a little straighter.  "Some mates and me are going down for a pint or two at the pub. Do you want to come?"

He looked at the computer. "I'm a bit busy."

"You're gonna be busy all night?"

"Most of it."

"You should try leaving the house."

Now, Rose was no expert on siblings, but she knew that if they had been a normal brother and sister that John probably would've shot something back about the fact that Donna should be minding her own business.  But John wasn't like that.  Or at least, not now. Maybe in another reality, where his and Donna's parents had lived, he would have been able to banter with her like that. But he couldn't, not in this reality.   It nearly broke her heart. She had spent a lot of her life wishing that she had had a sibling.  It never occurred to her that maybe a sibling wasn't the best thing in the world. 

So John just stared at Donna, his face blank, until he sighed and said quietly, "Could you please leave me and Rose alone now?"

"Yeah, sure." She left, and slammed his door behind her. 

He jumped a little. "She thinks I need to go our more, explore the world. And I want to, but the world consists of more than just pubs.  The world is landmarks and oceans and lovely and terrible things.  The world is _not_ where people get drunk on Tuesdays."

She smiled softly at his words. "I think you're right," she said softly, "Let's travel together. One summer. Let's go to America."

He smiled. "Yes," he said, his voice a bit happier than it had been a moment ago, "Let's go to America.  Where will we go, Rose?"

They talked for hours, until Rose's mum knocked on her bedroom door and told her it was time for bed. 

Rose was a little embarrassed by her mum's intrusion, but it didn't seem to bother John at all.  

"She's right," he said a little regretfully, "You need to get your rest.  And honestly, so do I," he admitted. 

"Was I keeping you up?"

"Oi, are you calling me old?" he teased.

She shook her head and giggled, "No, of course not," She said, "But you're the one that's gonna be the Doctor here, so I guess you should probably be getting lots of sleep too."

"I've got a whole summer to demolish my sleep schedule before school starts," he said, smiling at her, "And I hope you'll join me in that?"

"If we lived in the same city that would be the most suggestive comment anyone has ever made to me."

He blushed again, a sight that she thought was rather becoming on him.  "Rose, I'm sure you know that's not what I meant, I mean- of course- I guess-"

She laughed and shook her head. "I'm kidding, John.  Now, I've got to go, for real, now, okay.  I'll, um, talk to you tomorrow?"

"In your head or over the phone, I'll be there," he told her.  "Goodnight."

"Goodnight.  I love you."

"I love you, too, Rose."

She ended the call, and felt her stomach still filled with all kinds of little butterflies.  He was a bit too good for her, if she was honest, but in a way, she was glad that no one else got to have him. And he had turned down a night with his sister to spend time with her.  

Rose was feeling a bit fluttery as she prepared for bed. 

_John?_

_Tsk, tsk, Rose, you're supposed to go to bed._

_We can... I want to save money to meet you, when I turn eighteen,_ she said softly to him, as though she couldn't speak too loud or someone would hear her. 

_Rose?_

_What?_

_I want to come to you. I want to meet your mum and start something that's going to last forever._

_Really?_

_Yeah._

_I can... I could make the money, though, I could get a job._

_How's this.  We spend half the summer in London when you turn eighteen, and half with my family?  Then you'll be back in time for Uni, and I'll be back in time for Uni._

She pondered this, and realized that it was probably the best idea for both of them. She smiled to herself a little bit. _Okay, yeah. I like that._

_Good! So do I.  Now, goodnight, Rose._

_Goodnight, John._

She might not be able to make the money but she could _try._ She could get a job over the summer, at the pool or at a convenience store.  She wondered when her future started to seem so real and realized that somehow, it had always been that way. 

John didn't regret his decision to not go to the pub.  Talking with her were always hours better spent.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And now, a word from John Smith

He wasn't sure when things had changed so drastically for him when it came to Rose.  He just knew that when he'd called her and seen her face instead of just heard her voice, he was quickly obsessed with her.  The quirk of her brow and the smile in her eyes.  She was so full of personality and life, so unlike most of the people in his life.  

Donna hadn't understood, he didn't think.  She had a soulmate, after all, but they were treating things more like a courtship.  As a result, things were going very, very slowly for them.

But that wasn't what John wanted.  He wanted to meet Rose, and be with her, because they were meant to be together.  And she wanted that too, she had said she wanted to save up the money and come with him.  He hoped her mother would let her, but they still had two summers left for her to convince her. 

John let out a sigh and prepared to go to school. He was almost done, with this part of it at least, almost headed to Uni.  Then he would be away from all the people around him that had bothered him so much. 

Aunt Sylvia was cooking up breakfast when he thundered down the stairs, messenger bag over his shoulder. 

"Donna says you were up late," she said, not cruelly, only out of concern. 

"Donna was _out,"_ John pointed out. Even though he was talking to his family, he used as little syllables as possible, because he just wasn't ready to open himself up like that, not like he was with a soulmate.  With _his_ soulmate, rather.  Rose.

"Yes,' Aunt Sylvia replied, "With your soulmate?"

"Yes."

"Are you going to try and meet her?"

"Yes."

"When?"

"When she turns eighteen."

Aunt Sylvia nodded. "Good call to wait for a little bit," she said, smiling at her nephew.  She was really _trying_ to make things better between them, even if John didn't seem to want to fix things.  He was so quiet.  But he wasn't last night, she had heard him talking and laughing last night, and she had dared to hope that something better was coming out of this.  

"Yeah."

"Do you want something to eat before you go, sweetheart?" She asked.  

"No, don't have time," he said, "Thanks."

Sylvia sighed and shook her head.  "You'd better eat something when you come home.  I won't be here when you get back but I _will_ know if you haven't eaten."

"I'll make something."

He scooted out the door then, adjusting his loose tie.  It was his 'thing' really, to dress up for school.  He always thought that one should always put their best foot forwards, and he did so every day, even though people picked on him for it. 

He sat through his classes, because he quite enjoyed them, but it was lunchtime when things started to go downhill.  He sat alone, and people never talked to him, even in passing, so he liked to talk to Rose, even if she was in class. 

_Rose?_

_Hi, John._

_Can you talk?_

_I can always talk._

He chatted with her in his head for awhile, until suddenly someone sat across from him.  He couldn't even look up, he was so shocked, and he wanted to make sure he focused on Rose first, if he was completely honest. 

 _John?_ Her voice filtered into his mind, and he realized that it had been his turn to speak. 

_Someone just sat at my lunch table._

_Oh.  That's okay, I can go._

_I'll get rid of them._

_John-_

_I don't want to talk to whoever it is, I promise,_ he thought to her, quite fiercely.   _Be right back._

He looked up and saw a blonde girl sitting before him.  If he didn't know better he would think that it was Rose, but this girl was too prim.  He knew who she was, of course, because quiet people in schools are the ones who know everything.  

"What do you want?" he demanded. 

Reinette, the girl who was sitting across from him, blinked, her blue eyes filled with surprise.  "Hello to you too," she said bluntly, yet her voice was still smooth. 

"Sorry to be rude, but I don't really want to talk to you," he said, "I was sort of having a conversation when you came up."

Reinette's expression fell, but only for a moment.  "Oh, um, your soulmate?"

"Yes, why?"

She lifted a shoulder. "You know, I just thought, for a really long time, that you didn't have one, cause you were so quiet, I just thought you were embarrassed."

John furrowed his brows. "I have a soulmate.'

"Oh."

"Is that what you wanted?"

"I wanted to talk to you," she said, "I think you're very attractive, John."

"I have a _soulmate."_

She scowled, "You know, it's not unheard of for people to fool around a bit before they meet their soulmates.  Date around... Other things."  She was flirting with him, he realized, and blatantly, despite his obvious refusals.

John clenched his jaw. "Why would I do that?"

"You're bored, I can tell.  Is she younger than you?"

John didn't speak, because Rose was none of Reinette's business, and he had a feeling that she only wanted to know if Rose was younger so she could pick on her.  He just shoved his fork into his chicken and took a bite, pretending to ignore her. 

She huffed out a breath of annoyance. "She is, isn't she?  How much?"

"Not your problem," he said, shooting her another glare. 

"John, just admit it, she bores you. She's not old enough for the things someone our age is interested in.  I'll bet you don't have a whole lot in common right now, do you?" She reached out and touched his hand, and he stared at it in shock. No girl had ever touched him before. 

Reinette smiled, sensing a small, tiny, chink in his armor.  "So, until she's old enough for you, you can have me," she purred. 

That startled John right out of his daze of pretending that Reinette's hand was Rose's.  He looked up at her and pulled his hand out from under hers.  "So, what, you came over here to demand that I sleep with you?" he demanded.  

Reinette winced. "You make it sound so vulgar."

"Ever think that maybe some people still wait for their soulmates?  It would be like _cheating_ to be with you."

"Can you even cheat on someone you've never met?" Reinette asked. 

"Leave me alone," John said lowly.  "I'm not interested."

"So you want the word around school to be that you're a pervert?"

"Are you blackmailing me?"

She shifted in her seat, twirling her long hair through her fingers.  "I don't know, John, am I?"

"You must be lonely," he said dully.  

She made a face at him. "Don't start to feel special. I could get any guy in this school that I wanted."

"Go ahead then," he said, "Because I don't want you."

"Well, then, guess I'm blackmailing you."

"Reinette, do you think I care? No one at this school likes me anyway, why would it matter to me what they think of me?" He said it with such a lack of emotion, his voice smooth and no longer rough with disuse, and Reinette looked shocked by the whole ordeal.

"Where does she live?" Reinette demanded, "Are you two meeting up on the weekends? I don't understand."

John sighed and rubbed his eye with his pointer and middle finger.  "England."

"She lives in _England,_ and she's _younger_ than you, and you don't want any action from someone your age?"

It wasn't a matter of what he wanted, because he certainly thought about wanting Rose, he'd _definitely_ thought about kissing her.  But not Reinette.  Certainly not Reinette. As charming as she was, John Smith was probably the most loyal man on the face of the Earth, and he'd already promised himself to Rose.  He wasn't going to betray her trust.  

"No," he said.  "Goodbye, Reinette."

He could practically see the irritation radiating off of her, and when he turned his head a little to the source of loud giggling, he understood why.  Reinette's friends, Astrid and Lynda, were staring at them, eyes wide and hands over their mouths. 

John suddenly felt sick. "This was a bet, wasn't it?"

"No, of course it wasn't a bet. They knew I fancied you and they convinced me to come over here," she said, tossing her hair over her shoulder and all but batting her eyelashes at him. 

He gave her a look of disbelief.  "No one has to 'convince' you to do anything," he said. Reinette looked appalled at the suggestion and glanced over at her friends, which told John that this was, indeed, a bet. 

"Well, answer me now, John, or I'm going to have to move on," she said, and then leaned over the table at him. "And listen here.  I may move on, but I don't give up."

He shoved some of his lunch into his mouth and held direct eye contact with her. "Got it.  Bye."

Reinette was not used to not getting her way. She had been sizing John up for months now seeing if he was desperate enough to snatch up her advances. She frowned, because somehow, he wasn't.  Lynda looked completely crushed by this, as she had been quite certain that John would be desperate and all but snog Reinette right on the table.  But he _hadn't._ He hadn't even looked down her shirt or moved closer to her.  Lynda wondered if he was gay.

Reinette frowned. "Fine," she turned her nose up at him and stood up, turning so her back was facing him before turning over her shoulder. "If you want to find me, I'm sure you can find my schedule.  I hear you're very clever, after all."

John could understand that she was displaying herself for him, and he clenched his jaw. "Goodbye."

She rolled her eyes and walked away, leaving him to breathe out a frustrated sigh. If he didn't have Rose, he probably would've given in to Reinette's advances, because of course he was a teenage boy and there were things he thought about, but loyalty to Rose was the most important thing that he could imagine and he wasn't about to betray her trust.  It was then that he realized she had been waiting awhile for him to reply. 

_Rose?_

_Who was it?_ She asked curiously, her mind filling his with questions. 

 _No one important. Can we Skype when you get home from school?_ He needed to see her face again and he wasn't afraid to admit it.  After looking at Reinette, he felt dirty, like he needed to look at Rose instead.  

_Yeah. Is something wrong?  Did something happen?_

_No,_ he assured her, and immediately winced at himself for lying, but he didn't want Rose to worry about anything that would happen with Reinette, because nothing was going to happen with Reinette, and he was going to make sure of that.   _Everything's fine.  Just someone annoying come to bother me. No worries._

 _Okay, if you say so,_ she didn't seem to convinced.   _But yeah, let's Skype. Around four?_

_Sure. That's perfect.  Four._

They Skyped that night and the next, and they still called and texted, but nothing really replaced the telepathic communication. There was nothing better than it, nothing that made him feel closer to her than those encounters.  

And suddenly, John graduated, and the summer hit full force.  Rose said things were warm in London and she got a job at the community pool as a lifeguard. Apparently she had meant it when she said that she was going to get a job.  

He was proud of her, even though she sent him a picture of herself, smiling up at the camera in sunglasses almost bigger than her face, her friend Shareen next to her.  Just from the photo he could see that Rose was absolutely stunning in her one piece red suit.  She had curves, and she was quite lovely regardless, he was completely aware of that.  And he told her.  Often. He was sure that there were boys trying to get her attention, but she wasn't saying anything. 

Being so far away from her was much harder than he had originally thought that it would be.


	7. Chapter 7

Rose was actually quite good at her job as a lifeguard. She was certified and in the best shape of her life.  They gave her a red one piece with a white cross on the front of it.  She looked at it when she had first received it and had immediately started wearing the red sweatshirt they had given her too.  

"Rose, you've got a bangin' body," Shareen told her during her third shift, "You should just go ahead and take that sweatshirt off."

She peered down from her post and made a face at her friend. "No, I don't think so.  I'm not trying to advertise my wares or anything."

Shareen blew out a sigh and took a sip from her soda.  "Okay, but don't say I didn't say anything.  Jimmy Stone's still got his eye on you."

"Yeah?  Well he can sod off," Rose said, "I'm spoken for."

Shareen had simply smiled fondly and rolled her eyes. She knew that there was nothing like the bond of a soulmate, but there was also nothing like the bond between Rose and John.  That was something more powerful than anything Shareen had ever witnessed in her life.  

Rose had gone ahead and taken a picture of herself and Shareen and sent it to John, and he had told her that she looked 'really brilliant'.  She didn't know what that meant.  Was he afraid to call her sexy?  Hot?  Attractive?  She wished that she was more sure of what he thought of her physically. He told her she was pretty, but maybe she didn't compliment him enough.  

She settled in for another long shift, her legs already getting tanned in the sun.  

*****

Rose was having a really fantastic summer.  Talking to John the whole time was a definite bonus. She loved watching his face when they Skyped, but she wondered what he looked at without the motion blur that came from shoddy cameras.  She bit her lip when she was calling him one night, wondering if she had gone too far.  She was wearing a low cut dress and her hair was curled.  And she wasn't _going_ anywhere, she was just talking to John.  But she'd dressed like she was going on a date.

He answered and beamed at her, his face lighting up her mind. 

"Rose!"

"Hello, John."

She watched as he took in her appearance. "You- um, you're dressed up," he said, looking over her. 

"Yes," she said, looking down at her self to make sure that everything looked alright in place. She just wanted him to think that she was beautiful, really, and she wasn't sure that he did.  Even though she _knew_ he said it sometimes, she wished for more. She scolded herself for being ungrateful. 

"What for?" He asked casually. "Are you headed somewhere in a little while or something?"

She tried to suppress the grin that threatened to crack her face.  He was _jealous._ He thought she was going to see someone. "No, I'm not going anywhere."

"Someone coming there?"

"No."

"Um.  Then what are you... All dressed up for?"

"You," she said timidly, "I just wanted to look nice, I don't know," she felt very, very foolish all of a sudden and she could feel the blush that was creeping up into her cheeks. 

"Oh," she could hear the smile in his voice, "Well, thank goodness, really, because you look positively lovely."

"Thank you."

"I mean it," he said, and they were both silent for a moment before he spoke again. "I wish I could see you. It's harder to be without you than I thought."  He paused again, "I think I can't.... I don't know what to do, really."

"Did something happen?" she asked. 

He blew out a sigh and rubbed his eye with two fingers, "I guess you _are_ my soulmate and that I should tell you everything that's happened to me."

Rose felt her heart plummet.  What had happened?  Had she done something?  She twiddled her thumbs.  "Are you alright?" She asked, tilting her head, trying to regard him a little more carefully. 

"Yeah.  There's a girl at my school, she tried to approach me. Got on my case for you being younger than me."

"Oh."

"No, Rose, stop, I'm not ashamed of you, not at all, how could I be?" He said earnestly, "But I have a ridiculous request because of it and I know it's impossible."

"Try me," she said.

"I want to fly you out here," he said, "I want to parade you around with me until I have to go to Uni."

She smiled sadly, "You're right," she said softly, "That is impossible."

"I know. But she was annoying and I want her to know exactly who I belong to."

She blinked, a little shocked at his working and a little surprised at the spike of possessiveness that went through her at it.  "You belong to me?"

He looked at her, the surprise evident on his pixelated face.  "Of course I belong to you," he said, "What did you think? That I didn't?"

"I guess I never thought about it that way," she said honestly without wanting to offend him. "I wish I could come out there, john.  But I think it might be worse if I came up.  Is she still... Talking to you?"

"Not as much, but she tries to message me sometimes. "

Rose chewed her bottom lip and nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah, you know, John, the thing with girls like that is, when they see that the guy they want is taken, it makes them want them more.  Do you know what I mean?"

"That's... I thought that was just a guy thing, " he admitted a little sheepishly.

She smiled. "You know, it's really not. Some girls get really possessive."

"Some guys do too."

"Mm-hm," She said, cocking an eyebrow.  He raised his eyebrows at her in response and smiled crookedly at her.  

"Do you... Wait."

"You're possessive, aren't you?" She asked, teasingly.

His blush translated over the camera and he lowered his eyes. "Um, you know, a little."

"It's okay," she said, trying to reassure him, "I like it."

He looked up at her helplessly. "Don't tempt me Rose, or I'll have to come down there to England and snog you until you can't breathe."

"I think I'll keep tempting you, then."

******

The summer kept going. Rose Turned seventeen.  John turned nineteen.  By the end of the summer, Rose was toned and golden, and every time John saw a new picture of her, she could tell he got worried.

It was the first day of school, senior year, that it happened. 

It was before class, and she wasn't doing anything particularly sexy, just looking at her books and making sure she had everything in order. 

"Rose Tyler."

She smiled pleasantly and tugged on her skirt, wishing it was just a little longer. "Hi, Jimmy.  Did you have a good summer?"

"Great, fine.  Only saw you a couple times."

"I worked a lot," she said by way of explanation. 

"Yeah, I'll bet you did," he said, looking her over and making her feel absolutely disgusting.  "Nice and tan you, eh?"

"I was at the pool all summer, Jimmy," She slammed her locker and pushed a piece of hair out of her face.  "Don't get ahead of yourself."

"You still talking to that soulmate of yours?" he asked, shoving his hands in his pockets and leaning against the lockers in what some girls probably saw as an irresistible movement.  Rose, however, was particularly partial to John's geeky, flail-y movements.  She scowled at Jimmy. 

"He's my soulmate. Yes, I still talk to him."

"You met him."

"No, not yet," she said, even though he clearly hadn't meant it as a question.

He leered at her. "Bleeding shame, that.  Cause mark my words, Rose Tyler, he don't deserve you."

"Yeah?  Well, you don't deserve me, so I don't know how you can say that with a straight face," she shot back, and held her head high as she started to walk away.  Jimmy followed her though, because he was very persistent young man and nobody could really dissuade him if they tried.  

"You're a fighter, you angel," he said.

"Listen, what are you doing?" She demanded, "You didn't' give me the time of day any other day or year or month, so what's going on?"

"I just realized what I'm missing," Jimmy said, leering at her. 

"I don't put out," she said, "So whatever sick fantasy is playing through your head, you can go ahead and forget it, you know that, don't you?"

"Most women come around."

"Shut _up,_ they do not.  But what you do know is I'm completely devoted to somebody, so you can stop that all right now."

His lip curled up into a sneer at her.  "What, that older guy?   _John?"_

"Yes, John, don't say his name like that.  He's everything you're not, Jimmy, he's sweet and kind and everything that a woman would want.  So maybe you should take some notes."]

"Rose." His voice was more serious and she turned around, wondering what was going on with him that he suddenly got that way. 

"What?" She asked.  

"I've fancied you for awhile," he said, staring her down, unrelenting.  "You're beautiful."

She furrowed her brows, not sure if she believed him or not.  What she did know was that she wanted this whole altercation to be over. "That's.... nice of you, Jimmy, but I have a soulmate.  I don't think that means the same to both of us."

"No, I don't believe in soulmates."

She pursed her lips. "Well I do.  Can't you respect that?"

His face hardened a little. "I'm not giving up on you, Rose. I can't.  You're perfect."

She scowled. "You don't really have any room to be saying that to me, do you?"  She was not the meek girl who had been so desperate for a boy's attention that she was before she met John. To those who didn't have soulmates or disregarded it as something that would come along later in life, she was foolish for devoting herself to this man. But Rose knew exactly what she was doing, and who she wanted.  She was a little peeved at Jimmy for not caring about her wishes. 

"What, so I can't look at you because you have a soulmate?"

"Yes!"  She said loudly, "Pretty much."

He seemed more determined than ever now to pull her, or whatever it was that he was trying to do. Maybe it was a conquest thing. Whatever it was, Rose Tyler was certainly not interested. 

"Hey, come on, now. I can look."

"You're a pig, Jimmy Stone, really a pig."

She walked away before anything else could happen, because she didn't know what to think, or what to say. She was angry, almost blinded by fury.  She was sure that he was watching her legs and backside as she was walking away and it made her entirely dirty.  She rubbed her hands up and down her arms, trying not to let the bile rise in her throat that was threatening to rise.  She just wanted to be with John already so that they could be happy together, with no more interference. 

 _I love you,_ She thought to him, needing to tell him, to reassure her that maybe he was just as good as she remembered. 

_I love you too, my Rose.  Are you alright?_

She wasn't sure that she needed reassurance, necessarily, but it was almost painful to not be able to hold his hand and let everyone know that she was _his._ He had been right.  They belonged to each other.  And she wished that she could tell the world about it, _show them._

 _I'm fine,_ she said, _Just thought I'd tell you before my classes start._

 _Is everything alright over there?_ He asked again, _You seem anxious._

 _I'll tell you later,_ She promised.

_Okay... Have a good day._

_You too,_ she said warmly, just wanting him to not worry about her, well, not worry _too much_ anyway.  The worrying kind of showed her that he cared and that mattered more than anything else in the world. 

So she sat down in class and blew out a sigh. If the rest of the year was like this morning, she'd be in for a hell of one, that was for sure.  


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Our favorites will probably meet within the next 2 chapters, so get ready :) 
> 
> enjoy the chapter!

It was incredible, how much tension was brought from not being able to see one another. He was addicted to the thought of touching her, and she often dreamed of kissing him, or holding his hand.  She was often talking to him when she should've been doing something else.  Nothing they ever said was _racy,_ not really, but she was certainly thinking some things that weren't directed at him.  

_John?_

_Blimey, you really don't pay attention in class, do you?_

_You're much more interesting._

_Yes, well, I do try._

_What are you doing right now?_

_I'm in class._

_Which?_

_Physics. Where are you?_

_English._

He stayed quiet for a few moments and she guessed that he was writing down a note or something, as he was quite good a student.  

_Quite good, Rose. Shall I call you tonight?_

_Yes.  You haven't called from Uni yet._

_Well... No, but that's because my roommate will steal you away from me._

_Not a chance!_

_He's quite dashing._

_Not as dashing as you._

_I'm... Gangly._

_Yeah well I like it, so there._

_I'm glad you do,_ his voice betrayed his honesty and she smiled a little bit.  She loved when these little pieces of him came out, the way he spoke so clearly sometimes but was also sometimes quite vague.

 _Now,_ John broke her thoughts, _It's time you paid attention to class._

 _I guess you're right,_ she said to him, leaning her chin in her hand.   _Talk to you tonight, then?_

_Of course._

She focused on her class than, able to now that she knew she'd be talking to John tonight. There was not a day that they went without talking to each other, even if it was just in their heads for a few minutes before one of them was terribly busy for the day.  The point was that they always made time for each other.  She liked that.  She wondered if Mickey was doing the same for his soulmate.  They didn't talk about that sort of thing anymore.  He was acting like a bit of an arse, actually, though she couldn't tell why, exactly.  

Rose was gathering up her books and shoving them in her bag after class when she heard someone shuffle up to her, standing by her desk.  She looked up and groaned and rolled her eyes when she saw Jimmy Stone.  

He leaned his palms on her desk. "You know, I'm really glad you're so excited to see me."

"I really can't stand you, Jimmy," She said.

"Planning on talking to your older guy tonight, then?"

"Yes, I am, actually."  She thought of all her life-guarding money, how it was all saved up for that summer, to go spend it with John.  "Not that it's really any of your business."

He curled his lip at her. "Come on.  You know you'd rather spend an evening with a guy who can actually be in the room with you."

"I'm going to meet him this summer," Rose said sharply.  "And it's going to be _perfect_ and you can't stop it."  She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him, still sitting at her desk. "Why don't you just sod off and get the picture?"

Rose was a woman of a lot of words.  In fact, she liked words a lot, especially when lashing out at Jimmy Stone, but she had a feeling that this time was not the time to indulge him in a good long argument.  He would think that she wanted to shag him because she liked him so much or something.  

She started to walk off, barely hearing when Jimmy called out behind her: "Fine!  Be a prude for the rest of your life!"

She closed her eyes, trying not to think about it.  It wasn't about her being a prude, it was about being committed to someone.  Committed to John, because he loved her, and she loved him.  She adored him, with every part of herself that she was, and she wanted to meet him this summer, wanted to love him, hold his hand in public, keep him as close as humanly possible. She had a feeling, based on the sort of things that he said, that he wanted all the exact same things.  

Oh, with all her heart, how she wished it could be now.

That night, Rose didn't feel like dressing up.  She was wearing a grey school hoodie and her hair fell in loose waves around her shoulders.  When John called, she all but winced as she picked up, not wanting him to see her like this but being so tired that she couldn't really do anything else. 

"Hello," She said, unable to stop from grinning broadly as she looked at him.  

"Hello!" He said, sliding his brainy specs on, "You look lovely tonight."

She looked down at herself and then back at him, confused. "I do?"

He chuckled. "I don't know what it is about girls that make them think dressing down makes them unattractive. Rose.  Seeing you in that very outfit makes me want to get under about a thousand blankets and cuddle you and watch telly."

She smiled, liking the image of that very much. "Can we do that, someday?"

"We'll do that this summer," he promised. 

"It'll be hot then," she reminded him, and he smiled. 

"Yeah, we'll turn the air up, then."

She giggled. "Can we plan? I like when we plan."

"Yes,' he said quickly.  "Tell me, now, which day you get off of school?  Pardon, what day is your graduation?"

"I walk on June first," she said instantly.

He nodded and pulled out what he called his 'Rose notebook' which held all his travel plans and his money for the trip. She had a box that stacked all her money to her plane ticket to Scotland when they were going to travel together. 

He furrowed his brows at his book. "I can get there on June third... I can't see you walk," he looked up at her sadly, his forlorn expression coming through loud and clear on the video.

"S'okay, I didn't get to see you walk," she reassured him.  "June third is _great,_ we've got a date for it now."

He smiled.  "Good.  Now, on July third, we can come up to Scotland and stay for a month.  You don't know when your Uni will go back."

She shook her head. "No, I don't know where I've been accepted yet."

"That's okay.  You have time, love."

She smiled.  She liked when he called her that.  Any term of endearment made her heart fly a little bit, as cliche as it was.  He was still looking intently at his book. 

"By my records, Miss Tyler, I can see very clearly that I will be able to afford my ticket down to London." He tapped his pen on his desk.  "And I will meet you there and hug you until you can't breathe."

Rose smiled. "And you know my address then?"

"Oh, no, I don't, why don't you go on and give it to me?"

She gave him the address to her flat, suddenly grateful that he didn't live in London so that he couldn't know she lived in one of the poorest areas in London.  He wrote it down in his notebook and smiled at her.  

"This is beginning to feel real," he said, "Really, properly real."

"I know," she was feeling every bit as giddy as he was.  She clenched her hands together in her lap and smiled.  

The door to John's door opened violently, shattering the moment, and a loud man's voice filled the whole room. 

"Jack!" John scolded as another man came into frame. Some would call him 'devastatingly handsome', with his dark hair, blue eyes, and absolutely winning smile.  John put his face in his hands as the other man leaned all the way over into frame. 

"This must be the ever sweet Rose Tyler."

"Jack, please."

"Hi, you must be Jack's roommate," Rose smiled, trying to be as polite as possible. 

"That's me.  It's too bad I don't have a soulmate, or I would have to complain that it wasn't you."

" _Jack!"_ John seemed completely flustered and embarrassed and Rose thought it was quite possibly the most adorable thing in the world.  

"Speaking of soulmates, Jack, I think I've got one right behind you there."

Jack pretended to be surprised and turned around to look at John, who was blushing furiously and giving the other man a dirty look.  Jack looked back at Rose. "You know, I do believe you're right.  You _have_ got a soulmate back here."

"Yeah. Can I talk to him, maybe?"

Jack sighed and pretended to be put out. "Of course," he grinned, "I've got lots of homework to do anyway. Nice to meet you, Rosie!" He sprung back out of frame and Rose giggled a little. 

John scratched the back of his neck and looked at her. "Um, sorry about that, I'm just... He's a little... Can we look at our plans some more?"

Rose smiled, giving him a bit of relief from his embarrassment. "John, you could crash on the couch here, if you wanted. We don't have a spare room, but you'd be welcome."

"Better than staying at a hotel," he nodded.  "And I think your mum would like me better if I was close at hand but not _too_ close. Have you asked her about all this?" he asked worriedly. 

"Yeah. She understands and she's okay with it, of course," she said, "You're my soulmate, after all," she said.  

He smiled.  "I'm... I'm glad she feels that way.  Now, we have a guest room at my Aunt's house, and I want you to stay there with me. The only thing you will ever pay for while you're here in Scotland is your plane ticket, and that's just so you can get out."

She found herself feeling like she was soaring. "You know, John, I think I might not ever want to leave."

"Don't tempt me."

****

Shareen had met her soulmate, and they had gotten on so smashingly that she was quite sure that she would be married before high school officially ended.  He'd stayed at her house, and she'd stayed at his, and Rose found herself being a bit of a grump that they lived so close, just a couple hours difference.  John was just so _far._

"So, you'll get your plane ticket when John comes?" Shareen asked, shoveling her lunch in her mouth as she always had. 

"Yeah," Rose said, crossing her legs under the table.  "That way we can get on the same flight to Scotland."

"And you're staying with his Aunt?"

"Yep."

Shareen smiled at her friend. "Do you think you'll get accepted to that school in Scotland.  It's... How far from him?"

"It's a thirty minute trek from his school to mine... If I get in," she said, smiling a little, almost to herself. 

Keisha sighed, her chin dropping into her hand. "God, that is so romantic, you guys are so cute." she said. 

Mickey sat next to them, and Rose watched him without him knowing. She watched as he put his fork down and shut his eyes.  Her heart practically melted. Finally, he was contacting his soulmate. 

Jimmy tried to catch her every day after lunch, and she avoided him easily, though that didn't stop him.  The night Keisha had a party, he tried to snog her, drunk off his arse as he was, and she'd called John, her tears spilling over the side of her cheek and onto her phone as she hid in the bathroom. 

"What's wrong?" John demanded more than asked. 

"Jimmy Stone tried to snog me."

"Well he didn't, did he?"

"No, I'm in the bathroom, I'm hiding, John, I'm _sorry,_ this is all my fault, I never should have come to this party."  She pressed her hand over her eyes. 

"Rose, listen to me. Him trying to kiss you against your will is _not_ your fault, do you understand me?  You did not encourage him with anything you did.  Love?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm not going to forgive you for something you don't need to apologize for."

"I love you," Rose choked out through sobs.

"I love you, too, Rose," he said to her, making it sound like a promise.  "Now you listen to me.  I trust you.  You haven't had anything to drink tonight, have you?"

"No."

"See, then? I'm right to trust you.  I'll stay on the phone as long as you want."

"I hate that man," she spat, "I hate Jimmy Stone."

"Me too."

Rose chuckled on a watery laugh.  She slipped out of the party about twenty minutes later.  This scene was _not_ for her. 

And then, one day, the most inevitable thing in the world happened, and Rose had never been more excited for a day.

She turned eighteen.  It was five months until she would meet John.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The meeting!

_I can't wait to meet you._

_I can't wait to meet you either._

It was four months now. Jimmy Stone still chased Rose relentlessly, making her want to scream pretty much seventy percent of the time that she was at school. He would wink at her during class or brush up against her in the hallway and it made her positively sick.  He still talked about the party, too. 

"I wish you'd let me kiss you." He told her. 

"I wish you'd leave me alone," she replied. 

She knew now what it was like to hear of an obsessive man. She had thought it romantic, once upon a time, but this was not romantic. This was borderline terrifying. She had a lot of fears regarding this man.  She told Shareen that, who furrowed her brows, very concerned. 

"You think he'll try something?" she asked, her eyes shining with worry. 

"I don't know," Rose replied, kicking a pebble where they sat on the swings at the old playground that they used to play on when they were kids.  "He's just... Scary."

"John's coming soon, right?" Shareen asked, nudging her friend.

Rose smiled, practically beaming at the thought, as she nodded. "Four months." 

"Not a whole lot of waiting."

"Not as much as it used to be."  She looked over at Shareen.  "What's it like? With Timothy?  You see each other."

Shareen winked at her, "We have sleepovers."

Rose blushed.

Barking out a laugh, Shareen corrected herself. "No, no, not like that.  We talk. We talk all night, just listening to each other's voice.  We talk up from the first memories we can remember.  So I started, and then the next time we spent together he started... It's really beautiful, learning about someone like that," she looked off dreamily. "To feel his voice rumbling against my cheek instead of through my head."

Rose smiled, looking at just how happy her friend was. "That's what I want," she admitted on a soft whisper.  "I want to be that happy."

Shareen grabbed Rose's hand.  "Oh, you will, Rose.  You'll be so happy you'll be ready to burst.  And John will protect you from anything awful that Jimmy Stone would try to do to you."

Rose felt her heart swell with affection for John and her friend. She realized how lucky she was, really, to have the people that she did.  "I love you, Shareen."

"You great lump, I love you too." she nudged her swing again, "And you love John."

"Oh, do I."

The two of them set right off giggling again, squeezing each other's hand and Rose made Shareen talk about Timothy more, all about how it felt to hold hands with him and see him and touch him after all that time.  

"It's the most wonderful thing you'll ever imagine," Shareen said, "And that magical feeling... It never goes away."

*****

Rose had enough money for her flight to Scotland.  The only difference was that she had to wait for John so that they could book their flight together.  The very thought made her heart flutter.  She wasn't sure that she was excited about riding on a plane, as she'd never done it before, but this... This was something she was at least looking forward to, because John would be at her side through the whole thing, hopefully holding her hand. 

No, _definitely_ holding her hand. She would make him. 

She had a tab saved to flights on her computer, and whenever she was feeling down, she looked at it. 

 _You alright, Rose? You've been quiet,_ John sounded a bit worried. 

 _A-levels,_ she replied by way of explanation, _Bloody excruciating._

She felt the tingle of his laugh ring through her head, _You're right, they are.  You can do it._

_You know what I've realized?_

_What's that, love?_

_You're old.  You're twenty._

_Oi, shut up.  Is that the kind of information your study breaks give you?_

She laughed, _S'alright, it's a bit sexy._

_I hope so._

_It is._

_Guess what I'm doing?_ he asked suddenly, as though they hadn't just been talking about something compeltely different. 

 _What are you doing?_ she asked indulgently.

_I'm booking my ticket to London right this very moment.  Taking the money out of my Rose Notebook and putting it right into your pretty little hand._

_You're not paying me for it._

_You're right. I'm giving you so much more._

_*****_

Three months. Mickey spoke to his soulmate and then finally told Rose about it. 

"Her name is Martha."

"It is?"  Rose looked at him, staring. 

"Yeah," he smiled, "She's, um.. She's really nice.  I apologized."

Rose rolled her eyes, "I bloody well hope that you apologized.  She probably thought she didn't have a soulmate."

He winced, "She did," he admitted, "But she's come around, and we video call, like you and John do.  Rose, she's gorgeous."

Rose smiled, feeling nothing but joy for her friend. "I'm so glad, Mick. You deserve it."

"I don't know that I deserve her."

"You wouldn't be soulmates if you didn't."

*****

Two months.  Jimmy Stone tried to ruin things yet again. 

"Go away, Jimmy," she said without looking up from her notebook. She just wanted a moment of peace in the library, and Jimmy never even came into the library, so what was he even _doing?_

"How did you know it was me?" he sat across from her.  She sighed heavily through her nose. 

"Because nobody else stares at me."

"I'm glad I'm special to you."

Rose didn't reply, just kept writing as though she hadn't heard a thing that he had said.  He waited for awhile and then shifted, sighing as though she was the one inconveniencing him.  "This is... A good conversation."  He said, leaning forward, his leather jacket creaking.

She sniffed and continued to write. 

"Your soulmate's coming."

"Mm."

"I'm gonna scare him off."

Rose snorted. "Doubt it. The man's twenty years old, Jimmy, think he can ward off someone like you."

Jimmy seemed to take offense to that, but Rose couldn't care less.  She didn't _want_ him, and she had a feeling he wasn't going to even get the picture when John arrived on June third. 

"Did you get accepted to Uni yet, Rose?" Keisha sat down next to Rose, hoping to ward off Jimmy.  He wasn't going to be warded off by all that.  

"Yeah!" Rose handed Keisha the envelope she had received the day before.  She chewed her bottom lip, and for a moment, she forgot that Jimmy was there. "I'm gonna tell John when he comes."

Keisha gasped when she opened the envelope.  "Oh, Rose, the one in Scotland!  Thirty minutes from the love of your life, that is so romantic."

Rose smiled and nodded. "Yeah, I just hope he won't think I'm smothering him."

"Why would he think that?" Keisha asked.  "You're his soulmate, Rose, of course he wants to be near you."

"Are you serious?" Jimmy piped up and Rose turned, having forgotten that he was there. "You picked your school based on where he lives?"

"No," Rose shot back, "It was a school I've looked at for a long time. My granddad went there."  She turned back to Keisha, who handed her the envelope.  "Come on, Keish, let's go."

"Right behind you."

Rose gathered up her things and didn't even shoot Jimmy a glance over her shoulder before disappearing out of the library. 

*****

And the day appeared, more like it crashed down on Rose, with herself feeling like a whirlwind.  June the first.  

Jackie had curled Rose's hair for graduation, even though Rose had insisted she not because they were just going to cover it up anyway with her cap, but her mum was having none of it.  She wanted Rose to look her very best, and so she would.

She wore a pink and white floral dress under her red gown, and wore white strappy heels that looked quite summery indeed.  Jackie stood behind her daughter when she looked in the mirror and beamed quite madly. 

"Oh, sweetheart, you look beautiful."

"Mum, I'm not getting married." she laughed. 

"Well, you know, meeting your soulmate in... Two days.  That's close enough, don't you think?"

"Yeah."  

She was lucky enough that she got to sit next to Shareen during graduation.  She held her hand the whole time, wondering where the time had gone.  Shareen's soulmate, Timothy, was in the crowd, grinning like a loon.  Rose didn't even look into the crowd.  Her mum was the only one there for her.  

The principal called names, and Rose felt herself feel lighter and lighter with each name that was called. 

"Rose Tyler!" 

She stood up, feeling a bit shaky, and received her diploma, realizing the roaring in her ears were cheers.  She thought she heard a familiar voice but... No, it couldn't be, she was just wishing, and wishing would do her no good, she was sure of that.  So she simply smiled and observed the rest of the graduation ceremony, feeling slightly overwhelmed.  

When the ceremony was finally over, Rose's mum flew down from the bleachers and scooped her up in a crushing hug.  Rose laughed and squeezed her eyes shut, hugging her mum back tightly.

"I'm so proud of you, sweetheart."

"Thanks, mum," Rose said softly. 

"And I've got a surprise for you.  Well, the surprise found me, really," she said, pulling back. Rose arched an eyebrow in confusion and Jackie looked past Rose's head, smiling with her eyes suspiciously watery. 

A hand landed on Rose's shoulder and she jolted a bit before turning around.  And looking right into John's eyes.  She didn't think twice, couldn't think, just threw herself into his arms, burying her face in his neck and clinging to him for dear life. He wrapped his arms around her waist and held her as though he had been unable to wait anymore, which really, he hadn't been able to wait anymore, which is why he'd come early. 

"Hello, my Rose," he said softly, his fingers curling into her gown.  He'd lifted her completely off the ground and she felt as though she was flying anyway.

"Hi," she mumbled into his collar, making him laugh. He set her back down on the ground and looked down at her. 

He cupped her cheek and looked into her eyes, his own soft and filled with a love she'd only seen via computer screen. "You are even more beautiful in person."

She smiled, bursting with happiness. "How did you get here?"

"That's what I asked!" Jackie said, crossing her arms and faking a scowl at him.  "He's a bit clever this one, you'd better look out for it."

She looked at him curiously. "So how did you find my school?"

"You wore a school hoodie one night when we video called, and I am very, very clever," he reached down and took her hand, like he couldn't bear not holding her, even just for little bit.  "I wanted to see you graduate."  He pressed a kiss to the back of her knuckles and grinned at her, "Quite impressive."

"Oh my _GOD!"_ Shareen flew towards them at top speed, her soulmate twenty confused paces behind her.  "This is John! That's him!" She put her hands on her hips. "You're early."

Rose let out a bark of laughter and leaned into John's side. 

"Yes, I am," John said, "I'm a bit unpredictable, I suppose."  

It was a whirlwind of activity from there, but John never let go of Rose's hand, and he kept looking at her like she was the most important woman to grace the earth.  

"Now, where's this Jimmy Stone?" John whispered when the excitement died down a little.  "I want to give him a piece of my mind."

Rose pointed subtly at a boy who had shucked his cap and gown already.  John sniffed. "I'm taller than him."

Rose grinned at him, "And you're all dressed up," she eyed the suit he was wearing.  "But you couldn't find the right shoes, eh?"

He sniffed and looked down at her. "The Converse are a choice."

She wrapped her arms around his waist and held him tight. "You don't have to talk to Jimmy," she said, "I just want to talk to you.  Now and forever."

"Forever is a long time, Rose Tyler."

"I know."  She looked up at him. 

He smiled at her and pressed a gentle, if hesitant, kiss to her forehead.  "Now!  Jackie, come here." He released Rose and took her hand again.  Jackie came over from where she had been talking to Shareen's mum.  John looked incredibly pleased with himself as she approached. 

"I think this occasion is rather special, so I'll be taking both of you out to dinner."

Jackie looked at her daughter in surprise and started walking away. 

"Mum, where are you going?" Rose called out. 

"To the car!  Come on, hop to! This one' s a keeper!"


	10. Chapter 10

They _were_ headed straight to the car, and Rose had prayed in her mind that Jimmy wouldn't notice that she was holding hands with a strange man, but unfortunately, Jimmy was more perceptive than Rose had given him credit for.

"Rose!" He called out, coming up to her.  He swept her into an unwilling hug, Rose's grip tightening on John's hand rather than releasing it. Jimmy released her, after sliding a hand over her bum too subtly to call him on.  "Graduates now.  Maybe we can-"

"Jimmy, this is John." She stood closer to him, her arm pressed against his side, her knuckles brushing his thigh. "My soulmate."

"Yeah, so I've heard," Jimmy looked John up and down.  

John's face was a picture of murderous thunder and Jimmy didn't seem to care.  John pulled her even closer as Jackie walked obliviously on to the car. 

"Nice to meet you, Jimmy, but I think we're going to off now," John said, his voice colder than Rose had ever heard it.  

"Oh, you're going together?" Jimmy crossed his arms over his chest. "Sorry, Rose, but really? This guy?  No muscle on him."

Rose shot him a look.  "You're really a piece of work, Jimmy."

"Rose, you don't even know the guy!"

"I don't think anything we do is any of your business," Rose snapped. "I have never been your business, and I'm not going to start now, so you should just leave me alone."

Jimmy started to get closer to Rose, and John sniffed and tugged her backwards, keeping his body in front of hers.  "As productive as this conversation has been, Jimmy, I think it's time we left," John said, and started pulling Rose along with him in the direction Jackie had gone. Rose followed without a second thought. She kept looking up at him, just to see if this was real. 

"I love your profile," she said softly, hoping to soften the angry dimple in his cheek, even if it was a very cute dimple.

He looked at her, pleased and confused, "What?"

She smiled and ran her free pointer finger along his nose.  "S'regal.  Can't really see it when we video call."

He beamed. "Well, I like your everything."

"Oh, so that makes us even then?"

"I should think so."

They reached Jackie's beat up old car.  She was standing by the driver's door, her hands on her hips.  "Jimmy Stone?"

"Blimey, does everybody know what a sod bloody Jimmy Stone is?" John asked, raising his eyebrows. 

Rose laughed and Jackie smiled ruefully and nodded.  It was, of course, common knowledge that Jimmy Stone was a prat, especially on the Estate.  Jackie unlocked her car. "I'm gonna guess you two want to cuddle in the backseat, so go on.  Just no funny business, alright?"

Rose blushed and then blushed even harder when John opened the door for her.  She slid in and John got in after her, slamming the door behind him.  He buckled his seat belt and immediately reached for her hand again. She looked down at their hands, fingers locked intertwined together.  His hands were just a little bit tanner than hers and it was surreal to see another hand in hers.  She squeezed it and he laughed a little.  He brought up her hand and kissed it, watching her eyes carefully.

She smiled at the sensation, something completely new.  And she wanted to lean over and snog him until he couldn't breathe, but she didn't know _how_ to snog, and her mother was driving.  He rested their hands on his knee and she was staring at them again until she leaned over and rested her head on his shoulder. 

"I think it'd be good for us to go to that Italian restaurant that we like so much," Jackie said, looking in the rear view mirror.  "See if John likes it too."

"I'm sure I will," John said, and Rose could hear the smile in his voice.  She loved his smile. She had learned so many things about him over the years of knowing him, and one of her very favorite things was his smile. She cuddled against his side and reveled in the feeling of being close to him. 

"Well, I hope you like pasta."

"Love it."

"Good," Rose said, "We'd have to rethink this whole thing if you didn't."

"Rose Tyler, I thought your favorite food is chips?" He pretended to sound shocked. 

She giggled. "I'll have to make you some pasta someday.  You haven't had pasta till you've had it homemade."

He pressed his cheek to the top of her head briefly and looked back up.  "Mrs. Tyler, I meant it when I said I had the bill covered."

"John, not to worry."

"No, I meant it," John said firmly, "You're opening your house to me, the least I can do is pay for a meal."

No one argued with him, because as much as the Tyler women didn't want to admit it, they couldn't afford to go out to eat much, so his generosity was greatly appreciated.  Rose squeezed his hand again in thanks.  He rumbled out a little hum that made her heart swell.

The meal was _very_ good, but Rose was convinced that she could cook him something better.  Jackie sensed that the two wanted to be alone, even though the two of them kept her in the conversation.  When they went home, Jackie suggested they go out for a walk.  

Rose blushed, thinking of all the graffiti and nasty messages scrawled on the walls outside the Estate.  John looked at her carefully. 

"I think it'd be nice to go on a walk, Rose, no matter where it is."

She nodded and grabbed a jacket, just in case it got cold, slipped off her graduation shoes and put on her trainers, and he took her hand.  He looked down at his trainers and then back at hers. "We match."

She smiled at him, "Yeah.  We do."

They walked out the door of the flat and Rose directed him as they walked.  She was quiet until she mustered up the courage to ask him what she wanted. 

"So... Why did you come up early?"

"I wanted to see you graduate," he said simply. "That's the most important part of it, and you looked so tired after you took your A-levels, I just... I wanted to see it all pay off."

She rubbed her thumb over his and looked up into his face.  "Really?" She said.  "You're a sap," she whispered, smiling at him.

He hummed happily. "I guess I am," he said, smiling widely at her.  

She giggled and looked away, feeling so in love with him that if she looked at him any longer she was going to absolutely explode.  Because of that, it was a couple of long minutes before she stopped walking and cupped his cheek, looking into his eyes.

"What?" He asked quietly, stepping towards her.

"You're here," she replied bluntly, "For so long, it felt like you would never show up.  Jimmy just kept coming onto me and I kept wondering if I'd made you up and he was just trying to get with the crazy girl.  But you're here, right in front of me."

"Yes, I am," he said, smiling at her, his eyes shining. "I am right here and I won't be leaving anytime soon."

"Well, good, because I have to tell you something," she said softly.

He looked a little worried, "What is it?"

"I got accepted to Uni."

"Rose! That's brilliant!  Where?"

She grinned, "Thirty minutes from your Uni."

He swept her up in his arms without another word, squeezing her around the waist, his face buried in the side of her neck.  "Really?" He muttered against her skin.

"Yeah, really," she said, "So we can see each other all the time, really."

"Yes, we can, Rose, that's brilliant!" He set her back down. "Oh... We could stay together on weekends.  This is _fantastic,_ brilliant, wonderful!" 

He was so enthusiastic that she started laughing and couldn't stop looking at him.  He was brilliant himself, and completely dashing and handsome and she loved him for so many reasons.  On a whim, she reached up and ran her fingers through his hair, making it stick up like it did when he had been studying for a long time.  He pushed into her touch, his eyes falling shut. 

She wasn't ready to kiss him yet, even though every part of her body was screaming for his touch.  She leaned up and kissed his cheek, slowly, hoping to tell him exactly what she meant to say without saying it. She wanted him, just not yet. She was only eighteen.  He sighed when she kissed him and then he shook his head. 

"You know, we should continue on that walk, or I think we might.. Escalate."

She cringed a little. "Yeah. I agree," she said, and they started walking again, simply holding hands.   It seemed like they never ran out of things to talk about, and it was yet another thing that made her heart feel as though it was about to burst. 

Eventually, though, the sun started to set, even as it does so very late in the summer, and Rose was feeling a bit tired from her frankly exhausting day. 

"Would you like me to carry you home?" John asked teasingly when Rose kept leaning against his shoulder.  

She giggled and shook her head. "No, I think I can manage. Just barely, though."

They went home and she showed him the couch he'd be sleeping on, apologizing profusely for it and suggesting that she take the couch, it was only half a summer after all.  He shook his head firmly.  No soulmate of his was going to sleep on a couch.  She reluctantly agreed.

After changing into her pajamas and pulling her hair into a bun, she leaned against the edge of the hallway and watched him sorting out the sheets and covers that her mother had given him.

"Shareen is having a party next week. Would you like to come?"

She watched his brain work, and finally, he sat down on the couch, after he'd made a proper bed, pillow at one end.  He looked up at her. "I'd love to meet Shareen." He said honestly. He'd heard about her since forever, after all, she was practically a sister to him already.

"She'll bring her soulmate. His name's Timothy, they've been going around for awhile."

"Oh, that'll be nice," he grinned, "And, um, Mickey?"

Rose nodded. "His soulmate's not coming though.  She lives in Cardiff."

"Ah."

"Jimmy will probably be there."

"I don't give a toss about Jimmy, Rose. I will be holding your hand and I'm going to be with you.  We're a couple. If he doesn't respect that, then, well..." He rubbed the back of his neck. "We'll have a talk."

She liked that little spring of possessiveness. "Okay," She said softly, smiling.  "I know social stuff isn't your thing, but you... You talk now.  You have friends.  Your roommate."

He grinned at her, "Well, that's because of you, my love."  His voice sounded dreadfully honest and she found that she thought he wasn't just sugarcoating things.  He meant that.

'I'm glad I could be of some help."  She yawned, and his smile softened.  She looked at him, embarrassed.

"I think it's time for us to go to bed,' he said quietly, as though he was going to wake her up before she fell asleep, "You mum went off an hour ago."

"I know. Yeah."  She didn't want to leave him. She wanted to stay up all night and talk to him and hold his hand and cuddle, but... Now was not the night. She was too tired, and she had a feeling that he was too.

He stood and came to her, pulling her into an embrace that she returned carefully, his hands splayed across her back, chin on her shoulder. She listened to his heartbeat and let her eyes flutter shut.

"Goodnight," she whispered into the air, past his ear.

He pulled back and pressed a kiss to her forehead.  "Goodnight."

She chased him back and kissed him on the forehead.  He laughed and flexed his hands against her waist. "Sleep well, my love."

Even though she wished he was beside her, she fell asleep better than she had in her whole life.


	11. Chapter 11

She woke up alone, as she expected, but it still felt kind of wrong. She sat up and noticed that it was still dark out before creeping out to where John slept, on the couch. She got on the couch in front of him, cuddling into his chest, just listening to his heartbeat. 

There was something about that, the tangible touch, that made her feel desperately alive.   _John,_ she whispered into his mind. 

"Hm," he mumbled aloud, and without him realizing it, he was running his hand over her back.  He stiffened and looked down at her. "Rose, your mum is going to kill me," he whispered. 

She giggled and wrapped her arms around his neck, making it an awkward cuddle, but an intimate one nonetheless.  "Good morning."

He looked at the clock above the television.  "It's still night."

"Oh," She pressed her nose into his chest, "Oh, well."

"You have to go back to your bed," he said, "I don't want to get in trouble with your mum, she is _terrifying."_

She looked up at him, smiling.  She reached out and cupped his cheek.  "You're here."

"I am."

"And you're gonna come to Shareen's party?"

"Also yes."

She looked a little bashful and curled up against him again. "I'm really... I'm so happy that you're here."

He pressed a kiss to her temple and wrapped his arms tighter around her. "I'm so happy you're here too," he said softly, "Well, I mean, er, you would be here, it's your flat after all."

"That's okay, I knew what you meant."

John lay with her for a few minutes more before saying, "You really should go back to bed before we get in trouble."

She sighed, knowing he was right but also wanting to hold him close forever and never let him go. It had been near torture, falling asleep when she knew that he was right down in the hall.  She slowly tried to extract herself from his arms.  His hands curled into her shirt and he froze.

"Um.  Maybe just one more minute, though."

They lay for more than just one minute, whispering to each other about this and that, telling each other more about each other.  John didn't speak of his parents, and Rose didn't speak of her dad, but she figured that they would get around to that.  It would be awhile, but they could open up to each other at some point.  

"You are the most important person in my world," John whispered after a particularly painful story about how no one at his school liked him too much.  "I don't know what I would do without you, Rose, I really don't."

She looked him in the eye and watched them, looking at the honesty that was reflected in them.  "I wish I'd been there for you sooner. Wish I was two years older."

"No, Rose," John shook his head marginally. "You are perfect exactly the way you are, and I wouldn't change your age or your eye color or the clothes you wear. You are... You are Rose, and that is the best part of you."

He'd never really spoken such words to her, and it was quite kind, but there was a sort of undertone of tenderness that told her so much about himself.  She wanted to kiss him, but she knew she should wait until they knew each other just a bit more.  There had to be more to them than physical attraction, which they knew already... But it was difficult to do so in person.  It was hard to stay away from him.

"You're right," she said after a few moments, "I should go back to bed." 

He groaned, "You had to come out here and cuddle, now I shan't be able to let you go."

She squirmed out of his arms and pressed a kiss to his forehead. "I'll see you in the morning," she said.  He smiled at her and propped himself up on his elbow to look at her better. 

"Yeah. See you in the morning."

****

The following week passed in a blur of dates and courting and cuddling when Jackie was at work, and all of it was so wonderful that sometimes Rose felt as though she was going to explode with loving him.  He always had an arm around her or a hand in hers, pulling her into the next chippy or storefront.  

"There's so many places I've never been, Rose!" he exclaimed.  "And I'm experiencing them all for the first time with you. Isn't that brilliant?"

She had to admit that it rather was. 

The day of Shareen's party, Rose made John wait out in the lounge as she changed, and he was very fidgety. He had a feeling that something was going to happen, what, he wasn't sure, but he was sure it was something. He frowned as his own thoughts. That didn't make any sense, did it? 

She came out in a flowing strapless sundress, a pattern of blue, pink, and yellow flowing across her body, wrapping around her in a way that made him think that it was impossible not to stare. Her hair was in natural waves around her face, tumbling across her shoulders.  

"You look beautiful," he said, suddenly feeling inadequate in his t-shirt and jeans, his feet in his ever present Chucks.  He stood up from the couch and looked down at himself. 

"Oh, shut up," she said, knowing what he meant, "You're gorgeous."

He preened a little and settled his hands on her waist. "Promise you won't leave me a side all night? And not because... Not because I'm a selfish prat or something, but because I don't know anyone and I'm a little nervous."

She nodded, smiling softly. "Yeah, of course, I'd never leave you."

The ride to Shareen's was short, and the party was already in full swing behind her house.  Her backyard was small but so was their school, so there weren't a whole lot of people there.  Rose practically dragged John into the backyard, embracing her friend the moment they met up. 

"Oh, Rose, hi!" Shareen squeezed the life out of her friend before looking at John. "And you, mister!"  She hugged him too, the breath whooshing out of him, because Shareen was a very strong young woman.  

He patted her back with his free hand, still locking his other hand onto Rose's, not daring to let go. 

"Nice to meet you, Shareen. I wish I would have brought something for you."

"Piffle. Your presence is present enough!" She said, giggling at her own pun.  "Well, go on and do your thing. Don't let me stop you."

Rose laughed as her friend sprung off. She leaned into John's shoulder. "She's a bit much, I know, but I love her."

"She loves you too," the Doctor said earnestly.  "She's always been a good friend to you."

"Yeah.  But you've never seen her before. That was the first time."  She pulled him along to where tables of nibbles were set up. 

Some of the people at the party knew about John, Keisha and Mickey especially, so they all came up to greet him, some incredibly jealous of Rose, because blimey, if her soulmate wasn't completely bloody gorgeous.  He preened a little at that and she had to agree with the people that told her that. 

Mickey came up last, shaking John's hand. "Didn't get to talk to you properly at graduation," he said, shoving his hands in his pockets. 

"No, I'm sorry about that," John said earnestly, "Rose spoke of you often, I wanted to meet you and all."

Mickey grinned, a little pleased that he hadn't been forgotten in the mess.  "That's alright. A busy time for everyone, I'm sure. I wanted to... I wanted to tell you that you're a very lucky man, John."

"I know, thank you."

"I fancied Rose for a long while and I wanted to hate you because you got to have her.  But that wasn't fair, because you got somebody but so did I.  So I wanted to tell you that I guess you guys have my sort of... Blessing. I've been Rose's best mate for years, after all."

John nodded solemnly and released Rose's hand only to hug her friend. Mickey looked surprised but patted his back anyway, glad that the two of them had met some sort of middle ground. John pulled back and clapped Mickey on the shoulders. 

"That means more to me than you could ever imagine, Mickey," he said seriously, "Thank you."

Rose's hand made its way back into John's, which wasn't too much of a surprise really.  She squeezed his hand tight and as they made the rounds at the party, Shareen announced that there was dancing on the patio. Rose looked at him pleadingly. 

John squinted a little. "Now, Rose, I have to be quite honest with you. I am _bad_ at dancing, very bad, like.. Colossally bad. There has never been anyone worse at dancing than me."

She pulled at him. "But I want to dance with you."

"Do you now?"

"Yes."

It was about to be quite the beautiful moment, but then Jimmy Stone stalked up, hands jammed in his jacket pockets.  John groaned in upset and rolled his eyes.

"What?" John barked, making Jimmy actually step back and blink, "What is it that you could possibly want?"

Jimmy scowled. "Just been watching you, that's all."

"Creepy," John said, "But go on."

Rose pressed her hand to her mouth, trying not to laugh. She wanted John to take this conversation. She'd lit into Jimmy a lot over the course of the year, and this was completely John's ballpark now.  Jimmy hadn't listened to her... Maybe he'd listen to his rival. The rival that had already won. 

Jimmy crossed his arms over his chest. "Oh, come on, like you don't know."

"Let's pretend I don't."

"Alright.  You're a right sodding bastard. Some beanpole that thinks he can shag Rose better than anybody else."

John curled his hand into a fist. "You know, Jimmy, I would usually hit you about now, but I'm a man of honor, and Rose deserves better than that.  She also deserves words better than the ones you're using."

"Estate girls are always a bit easy.   Just thought maybe somebody got in there before you."

"I know no one has," John said, "And just so you know, no one's gotten in mine before her either, so you might as well just sod off."

Jimmy snorted. "I can't believe you, really.  You think that pure and innocent act is gonna get you something."

"You know, I think that now might be a good time to shut up, Jimmy. I feel sorry for you." John's head was held high, "And I'm going to go dance with my soulmate now, so _you_ can sod off."

He tugged Rose off towards the patio, where the dancing was beginning, and when he swung her around in his arms, pulling her against him.  "I really can't dance," he admitted, trying to move with her as her arms went around his neck. 

"That was the hottest thing I've ever seen," She said by way of explanation. 

He laughed and leaned down to press his forehead to hers.  "Yeah?"

"Yes," she nudged her nose with his.  "Never seen another guy stand up to him like that. It's always girls telling him no, not guys telling him to sod off."

"Liked that, did you?"

"Bloody loved it." 

He chuckled and continued to move with her, doing so carefully, not wanting to embarrass her, especially in front of all of her friends.  He just relished in the chance to hold her, and she seemed to be doing the same, holding him quite tight. 

"You're not a bad dancer," she said, as though she was reading his mind.

"Really?" He asked, and dipped his knees to be eye level with her. She laughed, which was the desired result, and pulled him closer. 

"Really," She said, "You've got some impressive moves, John."

"That's quite a wonder," he said, "Considering you're the first one that I've used them on."

"I'm honored," she purred.  A softer song started and she rested her head on his chest. "John?"

"Yeah?"

She looked over to where Jimmy was sulking, watching the two of them.  She turned her face into John's neck, not wanting to look at him anymore.  "You're my hero."

He shivered at the contact and pulled her closer, swaying with her to the deep pounding of the bass, letting the warm summer air wash over them. 

"You know, Rose, I think you might be mine too."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And we have not seen the last of Jimmy..........
> 
> Or Reinette.
> 
> Stay tuned for the future chapters ;)


	12. Chapter 12

The two of them danced for a while, though it was quickly becoming vertical cuddling.  She kept breathing against his neck and her nose kept nudging him, and it was really difficult for her not to straight up tell him that she wanted to snog him.  maybe she was ready after all.  She licked her lips, and by extension, licked his neck a little. He shivered violently, and she got a little more daring and kissed his neck.  One of his hands clenched in the back of her dress and he breathed heavily against her. 

"Rose?" 

"Mm-hmm?"

"If you want me to embarrass myself, please keep doing that."  He said it quietly, so no one else at the party would hear.

She pulled back and looked him in the eyes. She wrinkled her nose at him. "You know, maybe we ought to get something cold to drink."

"I think you might be right," he said, blushing a little.  "It's a little warm out here, isn't it?"

"Very warm."

They separated, and he wrapped his arm around her waist in a possessive way, holding her tight.  They walked to a table that Shareen had set up with fruit punch and snacks.  

Keisha rushed over to the two of them and grabbed John's arm to get their attention.  She grinned a little uncomfortably and said, "Hi John great to meet you, but you guys should probably get out of here."

John frowned, "Why?"

"Because Jimmy is sayin' some nasty threats about you, John, and I'd like you to live to your wedding, yeah? So you really should go."

Rose felt a little disappointed. She'd wanted to stay, but she also knew that Jimmy didn't make promises that he wasn't about to keep.  She looked up at John and smiled ruefully. "Well, there's that," she said softly.

"What time is it, Keisha?"

Keisha looked surprised but didn't say anything. She looked down at her watch. "It's almost midnight."

"We should be going anyway, then," John said, hoping to ease the blow of having to go early.  

She smiled at his optimistic outlook. "Okay. Hey, look, we'll go get chips. I know a twenty-four hour chippy."

Keisha breathed out a sigh of relief. "I didn't want to tell you this honestly, but Jimmy will keep his word. He's gonna keep coming after Rose, even though she's definitely spoken for."

"It's alright, Keisha.  Thanks for that," John smiled, showing her that there was no hard feelings. 

Rose said that she had to say goodbye to her friends, so John waited while she hugged Shareen, Keisha, and Mickey, and then she made her way back to John. She looked over her shoulder and saw Jimmy watching them again. She turned to John, a panicked look on her face. 

"Kiss me."

"What?"

"Kiss me right now."

He blinked. He'd never _done_ that before, he was feeling really panicked. "Are you sure this is how you want it?" he asked, "To make another guy jealous?"

She shook her head. "This isn't about that," she cupped his cheeks. "I want to kiss you so that everyone will know that I belong to you.  And you belong to me."

He was breathing quite hard and his eyes were searching hers.  "Rose-"

"Don't you want to kiss me?" 

The taunting in her voice made him lean down and press his lips to hers.  She slid her hands into his hair.  They were very bad at kissing, because they'd never done it, but it was chaste and gentle kiss, and looked very sweet to those onlooking.  He pulled away slowly and dipped back in, taking her bottom lip between his.  She gasped a little and wrapped her arms all the way around his neck.  His hands splayed across her waist.  It was, quite possibly, the most delicate kiss in existence, like he was afraid of hurting her.  But he also kissed her like she was the world that he held in his hands. 

Rose felt like her head was spinning, the warmth of his mouth absolutely engulfing her.  He moved his mouth slowly against hers, and she caught on quickly,  but after a few moments he pulled back again. 

"I don't want to embarrass myself," he whispered, before realizing that she was panting and her cheeks were flushed.  He saw that she was just as affected as him and took her hand. "We'd better get chips before I take you home."

"You're taking me home anyway, John."

"Not that way, you know what I mean."

She grinned as he rolled his eyes and took her hand, leading her away from the party.  She stayed close to him, her arm pressing against his side.  "Did you like them, then?"

"Your friends?"

"Yeah."

He smiled,"Yeah, I did.  They're really good for you, Rose, and I think that you've... Chosen wisely in the friend department.  I just wish I had friends for you to meet."

"You have a roommate."

"Yeah, I don't want you to meet him, though."

"I sort of thought you'd say that."

He jostled her shoulder. "I want you all to myself, and he'll _flirt_ with you."

Rose looked at him.  "You're the only person I want to be with, I couldn't care less if he flirts with me.  I love you."

"I love you too," he whispered, unable to hear the vow without replying. "Okay, come on, let's go get chips."

John had never been to a proper chippy before.  He looked around at the obnoxious decor, red and white checkered tablecloths, and yellow tiling, and immediately started patting down his trousers, looking for his wallet.  Rose reached out and stilled his hands.  

"Let me?"

"Are you sure?" he asked, searching her eyes.

She giggled and nodded. "Think I can treat my soulmate to a basket of chips.  Next one is on you," she winked at him.  

He smiled. "That's fair," he agreed, "But I'll hold you to that," he said.  

She ordered for them and she gestured to the vinegar and salt. "What do you like on them?"

"No idea."

She gave him a coy and flirty look over her shoulder. "Well, then, John, you are about to learn from the absolute master."

"That's what I was hoping for."

She showed him, on her basket of chips, the art of absolutely soaking the chips in vinegar and soaking up the moisture with salt.  John took a bite of them. 

"That's brilliant!" He told her, his eyes wide.

She nodded. "I had a feeling you'd like it," she said, smiling at him.  She leaned on the table. "Funny thing, that, that I'm two years younger than you and I've experienced more."

"Oi! That's not true, you haven't been to Uni yet."

She nodded.  That was true enough.  He grinned at her, though, like he'd just thought of the most amazing thing. 

"You and I will be so close," he murmured, "You'll be in Scotland."

She nodded. "Yeah," She said, "We can get together every weekend."

"Well, I hope to see you more often than that," he said, only half teasing.

She felt her heart warm at the idea that he would want to see her so much. "Yeah, of course, I just don't know how busy you're gonna be. You're awfully smart after all, and I'm-"

"Rose."  He watched her carefully.  "You're brilliant.  I'm just taking more classes than you. That doesn't make me smarter, or more important.  I want you to come to my dorm, and I want to go to your dorm, and I want us to have dinner dates and be the bloody cutest couple in the world."  She knew that these words were for her benefit, but she was glad.  She reached over and took his hand, holding them both on the table.  

"I love you," She said, reveling in the ability to be able to tell him and watch his eyes light up with happiness because she knew that he loved her just as much. 

He kissed her hand, his mouth a little greasy, but she didn't mind. "I love you too," he replied to her enthusiastically, and she laughed. 

They enjoyed their dinner, and John said that they'd probably better get home before Rose's mum started to worry about them.  She agreed and they strolled home in the warm air of summer, her head resting contentedly on his shoulder almost the whole way home.  

Rose knocked, hoping her mother would be home, but no one answered.  She frowned John's way and opened the door with her key, slipping into the darkened flat.  John followed, closing the door behind them. 

"What's wrong?" He asked quietly.

Rose shook her head, "She's not here."  She spotted a paper on the dining room table and went to look at it. She looked at John in shock and then read it aloud.  "Gone to Howard's.  Don't wait up.  And keep that man out of your bed.  Mum."  She rolled her eyes. "I don't understand."

John furrowed his brows.  "Where's this Howard live?"

"A few flats down," She said, "His wife died.  I just don't understand how you can be with someone who's not your soulmate.  She sees him sometimes," She set down the paper back down.  "I wish she wouldn't."

He touched her shoulder and she turned into him, wrapping her arms around his waist.  "I don't want another dad," she whispered. 

He knew what she meant. Nobody would replace his parents, and sometimes he felt like his aunt would try to.  He kissed the top of her head.  "I know you don't, Rose.  And no matter what, he won't be your dad, not really."

She squeezed him a little tighter.  "I know." She said, "But how dare she! She's going on an overnight and she doesn't want me to have you in my bed."

He stroked her hair back, "Well, you're right, that is a bit hypocritical."  He agreed, "But I think you are suggesting that I climb into bed with you, and while I would love to, I'm rather afraid that your mother will skin me the moment she arrives home."

She huffed a little, "I don't want to be without you anymore," She said softly.  "It's painful, that you're so close but so terribly far away."

"I know what you mean."  He hummed quietly under his breath.  "Well, if you really want to tempt fate.  I've been fine on the couch."

"I don't want you to be on the couch," She said, "You're a guest and we keep you on the couch because my mum thinks you can't keep it in your pants."

John sputtered a little. "I hardly think that either of us are ready for-"

"No, you're right," She said quickly, "We're not. That's why it's so ridiculous."  She looked up at him and smiled softly, "I want to tempt fate with you, if that's alright."

He smiled, his face shining as brilliantly as the sun. "Yes," He said. "That is completely alright."

They got ready for bed separately, and Rose made sure that she was fully clothed, with thin pajama pants and a t-shirt on before inviting John back into her room. 

He was wearing a button up shirt with stripes and pajama bottoms with the same stripes. He looked a little shy, but Rose was definitely glad that he was fully clothed  She walked up to him and turned his lapels down, smoothing her hands across his shoulders.  

"Every night," he whispered, "It'll be like this."

She smiled and winked at him. "Well, not every night."

He blushed and looked away from her.   "Um well, no, of course not.  It's just that, um, well, not right now-"

"John, I was teasing you," she cupped his cheek and tilted her head, inviting him to kiss her.  He stole it from her, leaning down and pressing a chaste kiss to her lips.  After a few moments, he pulled away and tugged her toward the bed. 

"Blimey, that is the pinkest bed I have ever seen," he teased her, and she laughed, nudging his shoulder.  "I think I might go blind."

"Well, if that's the case, then you don't have to sleep in it."

"Well, wait, hold on!" He clamored into the bed and held his hand out for her.  "Come on, let's snuggle."

She laughed and climbed in bed with him.  Somehow they fell together naturally, as though they were meant to fit together (and of course, they were).  She meant to stay up and talk to him, like they were having some sort of sleepover, but their nights had tired them out, and they simply fell asleep in each other's arms.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really wasn't planning on posting today because I've been struggling quite a bit with Carrie Fisher's death for personal reasons. But I felt I owed it to you guys because maybe some of you need to forget too. I love you all, I hope you enjoy the chapter.
> 
> We will be traveling to Scotland soon so that Rose can meet John's family.

She woke up feeling safe and warm, her arms around him and darkness still spilling in through the window.  She purred low in her throat and tipped her nose against his neck.  He gripped her tighter, simply hugging her. She could tell from his breathing that he was awake.

"Hi," he whispered. 

"Hi," she replied, fingers dancing up his side. 

"I'm gonna go out to the couch," he said, "Before your mum gets home and skins me."

"She's not gonna skin you," Rose protested, not raising her voice at all.  Her eyes were still closed, as she was memorizing the feel of him under her.  

He stroked his hand through her hair. "Yeah, she will," he murmured.  "I may not have been here long, Rose, but I got that part of your mum down pat. What time is it?"

Rose looked over his chest at her clock.  "Three thirty."

"Really?  That's all?"

"Yeah," she said, laying her head back down.  "So you can stay for a little bit. I doubt she'll be home early."

"Hm," he said, "you are quite persuasive, Miss Tyler."

She hugged him tighter to her. "Just don't want you to go."

She felt him press a kiss her to her hair. "Not going anywhere.  Go back to sleep."

She curled her leg around his, keeping him nice and close.  He laughed, his voice a little hoarse with sleep.  "What are you doing?" He asked. 

"Holding you."

He drew the covers up higher around them. "Well, if that's all," he said teasingly, nuzzling his nose into her hair.  "Goodnight, love."

******

The next two weeks were filled with the domestics that John had so feared his whole life.  He cooked with Rose, or they went out to eat.  They spent time with her friends, and John grew to like them quite a lot.  

They kissed occasionally, but it made them both a little nervous because they had never done anything like that before.  He held her hand almost all the time, though, keeping her close to him whenever he could.  

On the nights that Jackie wasn't home (Which increased quite a bit, and Rose suspected it was because she thought Rose might do something anyway) they shared a bed, him holding her against his chest or spooned up behind her.  His nose was always buried in her neck and he was always close to her, like he couldn't imagine being too far away from her.  

And for awhile, it seemed like that was going to be their whole summer.  Cuddling, cooking the meals they didn't eat at the chippy or when they got takeaway, and generally being normal young people. Rose hadn't seen hide nor tail of Jimmy since Shareen's party, and so she thought that was all over. 

It seemed that she was wrong. 

It was another night that Jackie was out. 

"It's storming pretty hard," John remarked, furrowing his brows as he looked out Rose's window.  

She untied her dressing gown and threw it off. "Yeah, it is," she said, both of them flinching at the sound of angry thunder. "I'm kinda glad mum's not home.  Nothing better during a storm than a good cuddle."

"Know that from experience, do you?" he asked, cocking an eyebrow at her as he drew the curtains.  

"Nah," she said, "Just know I like to have a good cuddle with you."

"Oh, well, when you put it that way," he went to her and scooped her up into a bridal carry. "I suppose I'll have to cuddle you then."  He set her down on the bed, making her giggle, before leaning over her to kiss her.  It was slow and tentative, as most of their kisses were, but it made her feel remarkably alive.  She slid her hands into his hair and stroked her thumbs over his temples.  He shuddered a little and pushed closer to her, his hands on either side of her shoulders.  Slowly, she pulled away, needing breath, kissing him several times before leaning her head back on the pillows. 

He grinned at her and whipped the covers out from under her before crawling under them.  Rose laughed and turned on her side as he tucked them both in.  

"There!" He said happily, "All nice and snug."

She smiled and scooted towards him and they immediately wrapped their arms around each other, burrowing close to one another in the darkness.  The sound of the rain was the only thing they could hear, so Rose pressed her head to his chest so that she could hear his heartbeat. "I love kissing you," she told him.

"That goes double for me," he replied happily, skimming his fingers along the back of her neck. 

"Oi.  You can't say that, you don't know that."

"Rose, do you know how hard it was for me to not think about your mouth whenever we were video chatting."

"You like my mouth?'

He sighed and held her closer. "I _love_ your mouth."

She giggled her ticked his side. "I love your mouth too."

He snorted and grabbed at her hands. "Well, you can't cuddle if you're tickling me, now stop that." 

She sighed, agreeing, and they listened to the storm together as their breathing evened out and they fell asleep.

_CRASH!_

John jolted up, followed by Rose.  The rain was now coming _through_ the window, and it was hitting a person.  Rose cried out and grabbed John's arm.  

Jimmy lay on Rose's floor, wet from the rain and his face and knuckles bloody.  Had he... Punched through the glass?  Rose tightened her grip on John.  "Oh my God," she whispered, unable to think of anything even remotely intelligent to say about the situation unfolding before her.  

"Rose!" Jimmy's eyes were open, but they looked glazed over, like he wasn't really awake.  He sat up and stared at her.  "I am very drunk."

"I can hear that," Rose replied, referring to the obvious slur in his voice.  "You need to go home, Jimmy."

"You are my home,' he purred, sounding more malicious than sweet, "Bet that's the kind of stuff you like to hear.  That's the kind of stuff John says to you."

"Get out," John said firmly.

"Shove off!" Jimmy said, stumbling to his feet, the light of the lightening back lighting him.  "She belongs to me!"

"She doesn't belong to anyone!" John got to his feet, leaving Rose to draw the covers to her chest, even though she was completely clothed. "I won't ask you again.  Get out."

"Damn, I wish you weren't here," Jimmy said, his eyes flashing. "I wish you would leave Rose alone!"

"Shut up, Jimmy," John was incredibly calm, his fists balling at his sides the only indication that he might be upset.  "You just shut up."

"We're meant to be together." Jimmy slurred. "And I'm not gonna let some Scottish idiot get in the way!" He swung his fist and connected with John's jaw, and that was _it._ John had had absolutely enough of this man, of everything that he was trying to do.  He was trying to ruin a brand new relationship that had so much promise.  

He tackled Jimmy to the floor, caging him, pinning him down, and hit him square in the jaw. "You need to get it through your thick head that she doesn't want you!  This is harassment!"

Drunk as Jimmy was, he was still strong, and John was still quite skinny, and he was overpowered, Jimmy striking him back down.  John cried out in pain as Jimmy wrenched his hand. 

"John!" Rose cried out.  "Jimmy, get off of him!"

"No, Rose, I'm doing this for you!" Jimmy shouted, not even looking at Rose.  She set about looking around her room for something to help John.  

"You're doing it for you, Jimmy," John said while still wrestling under the other man's hold.  "You don't care what Rose wants."

"She shouldn't want you," Jimmy slurred, "I'm sexier, I'm more talented.  I'm _better than you,_ John!"

"Shut up!" John shouted, and Rose was startled at his answer. She thought he might defend himself. She wondered why he wasn't. 

"No, m'not gonna shut up, because you know I'm right," Jimmy's eyes were heavy, like he was trying not to fall asleep, even as his grip was like steel.  He reached down and punched John again.  

With a surge of strength, John pushed him over again, trying to hold him down. Jimmy was still too strong and got the upper hand again, just in time for Rose to hit him over the head with a hockey stick, causing him to pass out, falling over and to the side of John. 

"Get him off you," Rose said grimly.  John shook Jimmy from him and stood up.  He was now soaked from the rain as well, as it pounded down through Rose's broken window.  He looked sullen and Rose reached up to cup his cheek, bringing him back to Earth. 

"I'm going to call the police," she said.

"Where did you get a hockey stick?" he asked softly, as though that was the only thing that he could think about, or at least, the only thing that he could focus on.  

"Mickey got it for me when he went to America last summer. Got some star to sign it, I dunno," She forced him to focus on her again. "Are you alright?"

He hesitated a little before shaking his head. "No.  I'm not alright.  Um.  You're right though, we should call the police."

"Okay," she whispered.  She stroked her thumb over his cheekbone and called the police, telling them their situation and location, before going back to John, who was sitting on the bed, staring into space.  

Rose sat next to him, staring down at Jimmy. "Is he gonna wake up?"

"No, too drunk, and you hit him too hard," John said, reaching for Rose's hand, lacing their fingers together. She brought his hand to her mouth and kissed his knuckles.  He looked at her and smiled happily. 

"There's that smile," she whispered. "What's wrong?"

"Just the stuff he said," John said, lifting a shoulder. "Doesn't matter."

"It does matter," she whispered.  "Every emotion you feel matters to me."

He kissed her cheek. "Not right now," he said softly, "You don't need to worry about me right now."

"Yes, I do," she said, searching his eyes.  "What...  Talk to me?" 

"I will," he said.  "We need to deal with this first."

She leaned into him and kissed him softly, running her hand along his jawline.  "Tell him to stay down."

He chuckled and the two of them waited until the police got there.  They were asked a few questions, and Rose was wrapped tight in her dressing gown, as she was too cold for anything else.  Jimmy was conscious, but barely, when the police hauled him off to their police car.  

"I'll pay for the window," John said after the police left.  

"You don't have to."

"I'm going to," he said, turning to face her.  "This is my fault.  If we were in Scotland this never would've happened." He shook his head when she tried to speak again.  "Please, Rose."

She stepped to him and wrapped her arms around his neck, holding him close.  He buried his face in her neck and clutched her tight.  

"He's not sexier than you," she said.  "You're the sexiest."

He huffed out a laugh and kissed the underside of her jaw. "You beautiful, perfect woman."

" _And_ you're talented," She said softly, "You're brilliantly smart, and you make me laugh like no one else and I want to love you for the rest of my life."

He kissed up her neck and then rested his forehead against hers. "I love you, Rose."

"I love you," she whispered.

"Well, now we have to find somewhere to sleep," he said softly.  "Too cold in here."

"Should we cover the windows with something?"

They settled on stapling a sheet over the window, giggling the whole time because they knew it wouldn't help but _God_ if it wasn't funny, and then they scooped up the covers and pillows from Rose's bed and built a fort in the living room. Rose took two afghans from the couches and brought them in the fort with her and kissed John on the forehead before she snuggled in beside him. 

"I don't think I quite deserve you, Rose Tyler," he said, adjusting himself over the blankets she'd set as the floor, "You think I'm sexy _and_ talented."

"I do," she said, pressing a kiss to his chest, "I hate Jimmy Stone."

"Oh, me too," John agreed wholeheartedly.  He looked up at her, only able to see her eyes glinting in the darkness, when she hovered over him, smiling softly.  She leaned down and kissed him, her hand not supporting herself cupping his cheek as she worked to move her mouth over his. 

He let out a little breath and kissed her harder, leaning up a little. She pulled away before things could get too intense, but her cheeks were hot, so he knew that she was affected.

"I'm sorry tonight happened." He said softly.

"I'm really not."

"Why not?"

"Well, we've never had an excuse to build a pillow fort before," she laid her head back on his chest.  "Now mum can't yell at us for sleeping in the same bed."

"Bed is relative, at this point."

"Oh, of course." she replied.  "Bed is anywhere we sleep."

"Even if it's in the jungle somewhere?" John asked teasingly.

"Even if we sleep in a bed of termites."

"Oh, John, ew."

"They bite," he teased, rolling her onto her back, making her squeal a little.  She slid her hands up under his shirt as he bit up her neck.  She shivered and sighed and let him do what he liked, borderline ravishing her.  She brought her knees up on either side of his hips and scratched her nails back down his back ans she arched her back.  After awhile, he could feel that she was perhaps starting to get a bit uncomfortable. 

"Too fast?" he whispered, pulling back.

She nodded. "A little bit.  All this touching though... It's good, I'm just nervous."

He kissed her forehead. "Yeah.  I understand."

"I don't want you to feel like I don't want-"

He raised his eyebrows. "Rose.  Neither of us have done this before. We've been taking it slow. I want you to tell me when things are going too fast and... Honestly, I was probably ready to stop for the night too.

She looked a little worried.  "Really?"

"Yes, really," he said, nudging his nose against hers before rolling onto his side, pulling her against him. She cuddled him into him gratefully, wrapping her arms around him and fitting one leg between his.  

"I know that there are women who would-"

"I don't want them Rose," he promised her. "I only want you."

She breathed out a sigh, seemingly reassured.  He tugged their covers back around them and kissed her temple.

He found, for the first time, surprising even him, that he couldn't wait for her to meet his family.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not sure how much longer I'm going to make this. I might fast forward through the Uni years just so this doesn't drag on too much. What do you guys think?

After the time at Rose's, with all the trouble Jimmy had caused, John was ready to take her to Scotland with him.  He helped her pack up her bag before he packed his own. She asked him all sorts of questions, if it was cold of not, who was she going to meet?  Was his Aunt Sylvia nice? She'd spoken to Donna once or twice, and she liked her, was she going to like Rose, though?

John held up a hand. "You worry too much," he said.  "They're going to love you."

"Do you have any... Admirers that are going to hate me?"

He stiffened and she knew he'd struck a nerve.  She was going to call him on it, but he spoke. "There was a girl, Reinette.  She tried to convince me that I should be with her, because she was more my age and more... Experienced." he crossed the room to her and cupped Rose's cheek. "I always said no, Rose.  I can't... Even if we weren't soulmates, even if this was a world where people just married to get married, I would still want to be with you."

She smiled a little. "Do you think she'll come up?"

"She might. She used to talk to Donna to try and get close to me. Wouldn't surprise me if she tried again.  Donna probably told her that you're coming, not on purpose, mind you, but... You know."

"Kiss me?"

He felt his heart plummet at the thought that he might have made her feel insecure, but he had to tell her the truth.  He leaned down and kissed her slowly, reveling in it, showing her just how much he did want her. When he pulled back, he set his forehead against hers. "You know, Jack is staying with us, too.  So I'll have to fight someone off of you, too."

She giggled and wrapped her arms around his neck.  He held her around the waist and lifted her up, holding her as tight to him as he could. 

"And I'm not letting go of you the whole time," he whispered.

*********

Rose had never been on a plane before, so the ride there was full of Rose squeezing John's hand. 

"Nervous?" He asked, leaning over to kiss her on the cheek.

She blushed. "A little," she said, before glancing out the window. "It's so beautiful, though."

"The whole country is that beautiful," John told her, "Oh, you'll love it, Rose, I know you will. You know city life, and I don't.  You're about to learn the rural, country life.  All neighborhoods and pubs and that's about it."

Rose smiled at him, her whole face lighting up with it. "That sounds lovely," she whispered.

"I'm going to take you _everywhere._ In the woods, where I used to go to school... Everywhere I experienced, I want to experience again, with you," he said, so seriously that it nearly brought a tear to Rose's eye.  

She winked at him. "Bloody romantic, you are."

He kissed her hand. "Only because it's you, my love."

********

When they arrived at the airport, there was a lull while John and Rose looked for Donna, who was supposed to be picking them up.  They finally found her, holding a sign that said "My bloody brother and his soulmate."  

Rose burst out laughing and Donna's face lit up when she saw them. She set down her sign in favor of hugging them both fiercely, John first and then Rose. 

"It's so nice to finally meet you," Donna said around the hug.  "I've heard so much about you."

"You too," Rose said cheerfully.  "Thank you for inviting me into your home."

"Oh, pish, you took that lump into yours for half the summer, it's the least we could do," Donna smiled.  

"Oi!" John scowled at his sister, and Rose felt her heart lift. She'd never seen him retort to her that way before. He had always been too scared, too riddled with grief, to do anything but sit back and take it.  Rose reached over and took his hand in hers, delighting in the familiarity of it.

 _Home,_ she whispered into his mind.  He looked back at her, a big, goofy grin on his face. 

 _Home,_ he replied. 

Donna chatted with Rose the whole way, making her sit int he front seat, leaving John alone in the back, even though he protested quite violently to this. 

"You got a turn!" was Donna's response, and it made Rose laugh so hard that she agreed to sit in the front with Donna as she drove them.  

The drive wasn't terribly long, but it was long enough for Donna to delve deep into their personal lives, and for John and Rose to tell the whole Jimmy story. 

"So what did you do?" Donna asked, "There has to be a resolution here somewhere."

"The both of us got a restraining order against him," Rose replied, crossing her legs. "He's not allowed within five hundred feet of either of us, anymore."

"In retrospect, we probably should've done that from the beginning, but he really seemed harmless," John confessed, "Well, he seemed harmless until he came crashing through Rose's window, that is."

Donna tutted. "Stupid, bloody drunks. Ruin everything, they do.  It's cause they're lonely, usually."

She pulled them down a long driveway that led to a very large house.  Rose felt her jaw drop. Here John had lived on an estate for a month and a half and not complained, but here, he had what looked like endless space.  

"Wow," she breathed out. Donna turned and looked at John, who shrugged, not wanting to talk about Rose's financial situation. It wasn't anybody's business. 

He got out of the back of the car and popped open the passenger's side, helping Rose out of her side.  He grinned at her and she couldn't do anything but smile back. 

"Hi," she said softly.

"Hi," he replied, and tugged her around to the trunk so they could pick up their bags. He held both of their suitcases, refusing to let her pick hers up even as she chased him around the yard for it.  

"Let me, John!  I can do it!" She protested.

"No, I'm being a gentleman," he swung her bag away from her. "Let me!"

"Oi! Will you two quit being doofuses and come inside so we can talk to Aunt Sylvia?"  Donna shook her head, but she was suppressing a smile.  "Gramps moved in with us too."

"What? Since when?" John asked, panicked. 

"It's alright, he's fine," Donna replied, "He just can't stay alone anymore.  He gets lonely.  You'll love him, Rose, he's a really nice old man."

Rose laughed, "Okay," she said.  

They made their way into the house, and immediately Rose was bared down upon by how nice the house was, and by John's Aunt Sylvia and Grandfather.  They both hugged her, ripping Rose's hand from Johns, much to his disappointment, and she couldn't help but laugh and chat right along with them. 

"It's been so quiet at this house!" Sylvia said.

"No it hasn't!" John's grandpa replied, who had insisted that Rose call him Wilf and not granddad, "We've got that roommate of John's in, and he is _loud!"_

"I resent that!" A dashing young man skipped down the stairs (and they were really nice stairs, Rose noticed) with his hands in his pockets and landed at the bottom, leaning against the banister. "Jack Harkness."

"Oh, stop," John rolled his eyes.

"I was only saying hello," Jack defended himself, shrugging. 

"Yeah, and I know how you say hello," John replied.

Jack reached out to shake Rose's hand. "I've heard a lot about you."

"It's nice to meet you," Rose replied, but once he let go of her she slipped her hand back into John's.  He tugged her against him a little firmer than necessary, but Rose didn't mind.  She kind of liked it when he got possessive.  

"Now, we were just cooking up some lunch, if you want to help," Sylvia took Rose by the arm and pulled her away from John again.  

"We-we just got here," John protested weakly, but his family didn't listen. Jack stayed behind with John. 

He jostled his friend's shoulder.  "She looks really happy, John."

"I think she is," John said tentatively. "I just wish she didn't have to stay in the guest room."

"You two been-"

"No.  We just shared a bed when her mum wasn't home," John admitted.  "It's weird to be without her, and I don't _want_ to be without her."

"I know what you mean," Jack replied. "You don't have to tell your parents you're sharing a bed though. I'm pretty sure you can be sneaky when given the chance."

John smiled.  "We'll see, Jack."

As it turned out, John's family absolutely adored Rose and didn't really want to leave her alone. They peppered her with questions about her family and her life and where she came from. Rose was quite overwhelmed, but she was enjoying the welcoming feeling that she felt from these people. 

"Rose, where are you going to Uni?" Sylvia asked over lunch, and Rose shifted a little.  Did she think that Rose was being clingy?  She wanted to impress them.

"I'm gonna be at a school a half hour from John's, so we can still see each other during the school year. That, and they gave me half scholarship."

"That's brilliant!" Wilf exclaimed, clapping his hands together excitedly.  "Oh, it's the hardest years, university, if you've met your soulmate but can't be with them."

"Do you have a dorm room?" Sylvia asked. 

Rose shook her head. "Not yet. They assign me in about three weeks."  She rubbed the side of her arm.  "Not sure who they'll put me with or what they'll do, really."

"Well, either way, you'll still be near us," Jack said, smiling warmly.  "If you need us, you can come get us."

"Oh, is your mum going to be upset?" Sylvia asked worriedly, "I can give her a call, let her know that you can come stay with us if anything goes wrong."

Rose smiled. She wasn't sure if her mum would want that, but, of course, it was possible that it would be good for the two women to talk, just to get to know each other.  "I'll give you her phone number," she said easily.  

"Brilliant!  I'm sure if she raised such a wonderful young woman, she must be really great to talk to," Sylvia seemed so enthusiastic, and it made Rose feel a little better about being in a house that she'd never been in before.  She was feeling a bit out of her element, and talking about her mother was something nice and familiar.  

 _Are you alright?_ John asked Rose as the conversation continued.

 _Yeah,_ Rose replied, not wanting to tell John that it was all a bit much, even though everyone was being quite nice to her.

"Mum, I think I'll take Rose on a walk," John said, getting to his feet. 

"Go through the backyard," Wilf said, shaking a finger.  "The views are better, and you know it."

John chuckled a little and held a hand out for Rose, even though she could certainly stand up herself.  She smiled and cleared hers and John's dishes, placing them in the sink. 

"Oh, yes, she's a keeper!" Jack said cheekily, and Rose rolled her eyes and said her goodbyes as John led her out the back door.  

"I could feel you getting overwhelmed," he said softly.  

She smiled at him. "We're really in sync, aren't we?" She asked a little cheekily.  

"I guess we are."

The backyard was spacious and covered only in grass, with woods bordering the edge.  She breathed in the fresh air and turned to John. 

"This is really beautiful," she said softly. 

"Probably in the same way that the city is beautiful to me," he said, matching her tone. "It's so different."

She cocked her head to the side. "Maybe." She looked up at him. "I'm happy I'm here, John."

He bent to kiss the top of her head. "I wouldn't want you anywhere else but with me." 


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's nine minutes from the New Year where I live, so have the happy last chapter of 2016!!!!!!! Happy New Year everyone!

Rose's first night at John's home was a bit rowdy. The way John had behaved when they were kids, it was as if his family was no fun at all. Of course, that wasn't true. Donna's laugh was infectious and Wilf would burst into little jigs every once in a while that made everyone laugh.  

"Well, I think tomorrow we should play some board games," Sylvia said, "But you and Rose have had a long trip.  Why don't you settle her in into her room?" 

"Yeah, of course," John took Rose's hand and hoisted her off the couch.  Her bag had already been carried up the stairs, and she waved to bid goodbye to everyone.  

"Goodnight, everyone," she said happily, "Thank you."

"Of course, Rose," Sylvia gushed.  "Goodnight, love."

"I could help you out, going to bed," Jack said flirtatiously, "I'm very good at-"

"Goodnight, Jack," John cut him off, rolling his eyes, and tittering laughter filled the room at Jack's comment and John's reaction.

He led her up the stairs that she had seen before, and still a little surprised at it all, towards a back room. She stopped walking, forcing him to stop.

"Wait," she whispered. "I want to see your room."

He grinned at her. "Oh? And why is that?"

"Because it's where you grew up," she said.  

"I grew up in an orphanage," he replied, stepping to face her.

She shook her head and settled her hand on his cheek, staring intently at him. "No, you grew up here," she said, "This is where you learned what family is."

He shook his head right back at her, causing her to giggle.  After a moment of hesitation, he set his hand right under her collarbone, right over her heart. "This is where I learned where family is."

She pursed her lips to keep from crying, and settled for wrapping her arms around his neck.  He chuckled, a little wetly, and held her close, his face buried in her neck.  He kissed her jawbone and pulled back after a few moments.

"Come on, I'll show you my room."

He pulled her to the opposite end of the hallway.  There was a door that was closed, with his bag outside of it. He kicked it open and flicked the light on.  Inside was a spacious room with blue carpeting and a couple posters of indie bands pasted on the wall.  There was a pristine looking desk, and a large bed in the corner.  A blue bedspread covered it, and lighter blue curtains covered the windows.  It was a pretty barren room, all things considered.  It suited him, and everything he stood for.  

"I love it," she said, walking to a bookshelf that held old volumes of novels and a few cds.  She looked through an old Dickens piece as he came up next to her.

"I'm quite boring," he told her.

"I don't think you're boring."

"Ah, yes you do," he said, "You just won't to tell me because I'll stop kissing you."

She laughed, "No, you wouldn't."

"You're right," he grabbed her around the middle, making her squeak in surprise.  He bent down and kissed her softly.  Without looking behind her, she put the book back on the shelf, and wrapped her arms around his neck.  He pulled her closer to him, hands cupping her hips.  She pulled away from his lips to kiss his cheek.

"Your family is lovely," she said.

"They're alright," he said, "They weren't always that fun, I'll tell you that."

She giggled a little and nodded. "You know, I gathered that you weren't always a lot of fun either," her smile slipped and she reached up to cup his cheek. "Understandable, though," she whispered. "It had to be hard for you."

"Everyone deals with hard things," he replied, shaking his head a little. "You taught me that I don't have to be a martyr to honor my parents.  I sort of... Honor them by existing."

"By being the best John you could ever be!" Rose added happily, loving this new attitude that she had apparently helped create.

He laughed a little at her joy and cupped her cheek, stroking his thumb over the swell of her cheekbone.  "You have made me so much better, Rose."

She smiled. "I'm not done yet."

"Oh, I know you're not," he said. "I'm not sure what sort of luck it was that you're my soulmate, but I feel like I owe someone a huge thank you."  His eyes crinkled a bit at the corners, his smile grew so big.  

She tilted her head to the side, into his touch. "It's not an accident. It's not luck.  I belong to you because you are the perfect man for me.  We weren't thrown together, we were _meant_ to be together. Don't you understand that?"

He nodded. "I do now."  He said softly. "I know...  You make me so happy, Rose.  You're making it very difficult for me to go to a separate bed than you."

"Well, don't then," She grabbed him by the belt loops of his jeans and pulled him against her. He laughed and tipped his forehead against hers.  

"Love?"

"Yeah?"

"My aunt is right downstairs," he laughed a little.

"My mum was just a few flats over when we were sharing a bed," she reminded him.  "No issues with that, hm?"

He cringed a little. "She was safely out of the area though," he said sheepishly.  He rubbed the back of his neck and grinned at her.  "It's late though."

"I guess I should go to bed," she murmured, pulling away from him a little, although, she wasn't seeing his turning down sleeping in a bed with her as rejection.

"I guess you should," he said softly, "Come on, I'll take you over."

The guest room had a light pink duvet, white carpeting, and an empty bookshelf and chest of drawers.  She set her suitcase on the equally empty desk and opened it, taking out a pajama set.  "I think I'll take it from here," she smiled at him, "Goodnight, John."

"Goodnight, love."

"Love you."

"Love you too."

He gave her a chaste kiss and disappeared from the room, not trusting himself with much else.

***

Late that night, she felt the duvet get lifted behind her.  She looked over her shoulder to see John settling in.  He grinned at her and wrapped his arm around her waist, chin on her shoulder. "Hello, my love," he purred, his voice a little rough with sleep.

She giggled and settled back into his embrace, letting him spoon up behind her. "Hi.  Thought we weren't sharing a bed?"

He grunted. "I reached for you and you weren't there. So I gave up."

She giggled and laced their fingers together over her stomach. "Well, I'm glad you came to your senses."

He pressed a kiss to her hair. "Me too."

*****

They spent their nights playing board games and footie in the backyard, which Wilf proved to be rather good at, which was quite disconcerting.  John took Rose to the pool, and he seemed a bit on edge when he did so, like he had been expecting to see someone there. She looked at him curiously, having an idea of who John was so afraid of seeing, but not wanting to voice it. It wasn't worth it.  Not when he was with her, his hand locked tightly around hers.

Rose would learn that sometimes it was good to be afraid of things. 

"Oh, John, could you go and get some sage from the backyard?" Rose asked, looking at the meal she had been preparing as a surprise for the rest of the family (Minus Jack, who was upstairs studying).  "I need a little more."

"Sure," he kissed her on the cheek as he passed her. They had been able to fall into a more settled routine in Scotland, being as there was more room to themselves, and Sylvia didn't mind if they shared a bed, so they'd shifted to John's room.

Soon after he disappeared through the back door, she heard a knock at the front one. She frowned and rubbed her hands on a dish towel before crossing to the door. She opened it to find a stunning blonde woman standing there, her eyes piercing right through Rose. 

"Hi," she said, smiling. "Heard John was home. Can I see him?"

Rose swallowed hard. Reinette. It had to be Reinette, there was no other explanation for it!  She shook her head. "No.  You can't see him."

Reinette rolled her eyes. "Oh, you're his insecure little soulmate."

Rose crossed her arms. "I can pretty much tell you right now that John never called me insecure." 

"Oh, he didn't have to," Reinette wrinkled her nose. "But he's still my friend, even if _you're_ the one screwing his brains out every night and not me."

Rose colored deeply but didn't say anything to the contrary, because this woman did not need to know their... Habits. Or, actually, if she was being honest, lack thereof.  She stared at her.  "That's not your business.  He's not your business.  Not anymore."

"I've known him longer than you have."

"You haven't. I've known him since he was fifteen."

Reinette clicked her jaw shut and Rose grinned, a little smugly. She'd caught her there.  She tilted her head out the door. "So I think you can just go."

"I want to see him."

"I'll go fetch him," Rose said airily, but instead of letting Reinette wait inside, she shut the door, ignoring the girl's protests. 

She stomped back towards the kitchen and saw that John was standing there, holding some sage and looking quite confused indeed.  She was fuming and he could tell.  John set the plant he'd collected down on Rose's cutting board and looked down at her. 

"What's the matter?" He asked, "Who was at the door, what happened?"

"Reinette," she spat out.

His eyes were instantly alight with anger. "Oh, no, _no,_ she is not doing this. Is she still at the door?"

"She's insisting she see you."

John huffed out an angry laugh.  "Yeah, alright, well it's going to be the last time she sees me, so she better get a good look."  He looked down at Rose and his eyes immediately softened. "I'm sorry she did this to you."

She shook her head. "M'fine.  She just... No, I'll tell you later."

"What? What is it? What did she do?"

"She said she was still your friend, even though I was the one that 'screwed your brains out'." She blushed again just voicing it.

He shook his head. "Crude slag."

She grabbed his face and made him look at her again.  "John? Are you upset that I"m not... Giving you that?"

"No!" He looked surprised that she even asked.  "Rose, how could you even think that I think less of you because of something like that?"

"I don't think you think _less_ of me," she said, "But maybe you just wish that I... Was... A bit like her."

"Rose, if you were like her, I"m not sure I could handle you." He smiled at her happily.  "You're perfect.  You're a classy woman, and she's... Forward and... Too much.   _You're_ the one, Rose.  Not her. And, now, we're going to take care of this once and for all."

He walked to the door, and flung it open, surprised that Reinette had stood there while he and Rose had talked. Rose stood right next to him, acting a bit as his anchor. 

"John!" Reinette went to hug him and John put up a hand to stop her. 

"What are you doing here, Reinette?" He asked, his voice colder than she had ever seen it before. 

She blinked. She had clearly not been expecting that reaction from him.  "I'm... I'm not sure what you mean."

"Come off it, Reinette. You're trying to shove yourself in Rose's face. That's a bit low, don't you think?"

Reinette pouted. "Send her away so we can talk privately."

"Shut up!" Rose shouted, surprising herself, John, _and_ Reinette all in two words.  They looked at her, and Rose stared at Reinette head on. 

"You-"

"I told you to shut up," Rose cut her off.  "I don't know if you have a soulmate, I don't know if you even understand the concept of soulmates, but John is _mine._ I can talk in his mind whenever the hell I please, I can do whatever I want whenever the hell I please.  So _back. Off."_

Reinette stood there, absolutely gobsmacked, before a coy smile crossed her face. "John, I didn't know she was such a little spitfire."

"You're not talking to John, you're talking to me, since it's me you have a problem with," Rose said, "And I'm about sick of you already.  So you can get off our property before I kick you out!"

"You can't kick me out," Reinette replied on a snort.

"She can," John said calmly, his hand going down to find hers and hold it tight. "I say she can.  Goodbye, Reinette."

Reinette opened and closed her mouth a couple of times, as though waiting for something.  Then, finally, she let out an anguished "Ugh!" And stormed from the front step.  John slammed the door, just for good measure, and turned a grin down to Rose.

"That was the hottest thing I've ever seen," he told her and she blushed.

As if to prove the point, he swept her up into his arms, laughing with her when her feet left the ground.  He kissed her and hoisted her up over his shoulder, carrying her back to the kitchen.

"Now, Miss Tyler, I believe we have a dinner to finish before my family gets home."

Rose smacked his bum as he carried her back and he lowered her down to the ground.  He smiled at her gently. "I'm so proud of you. Couldn't have said it better myself."

They fell back into their cooking routine and Rose smiled, feeling stronger than she ever had before.


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, I anticipate 1 or 2 more chapters since everyone who commented agreed to skipping the Uni chapters. I have my next AU all planned out, so just you wait:)

The days after the incident with Reinette passed smoothly. John didn't really have friends, and there were no parties for him to go to, but Jack consistently invited them to parties that he was invited to.

"You don't even live here!" John cried in frustration.

"No, but there are plenty of people who would like it if I did," He winked. "So, are you two coming tonight?"

John looked at Rose, "Do you want to?" He asked softly, realizing that he'd never asked her before when Jack had invited them.

She lifted a shoulder and sipped her tea. "Don't care," She said, "We can, if you want to."

"Well, see, I don't care, I was just trying to keep you safe this whole time," He admitted, running a nervous hand through his hair.

"Well, see, I'd be with you, so I'd be fine," she said, mocking his tone. She smiled over her mug and looked between Jack and John. "I'd kind of like to go," she whispered.

John felt his heart drop. He had hoped she would want a quiet night in, but to be honest, they had had lots and lots of quiet nights in. It was normal that she, social butterfly that she was, would need something more. Just because he was a painfully introverted soul didn't mean that he should sacrifice what she wanted."Okay," he said, forcing a grin, "We'll go."

Jack grinned, his smile more genuine than John's, reaching his eyes. "Alright!" He said excitedly. "I'm gonna start getting ready. We'll leave in a couple hours, okay?"He skipped out of the room, leaving Rose and John alone. She leaned in the entryway to the kitchen, still sipping her tea and watching him carefully. He looked like he wanted to say something and she was willing to wait until he was ready. "I should've asked you," he said lowly, "Every time there was any sort of event, I was afraid to go, so I didn't even ask if you wanted to."

Rose lifted a shoulder. "For all the partying that Jack does, I probably only would've been able to handle one or two."

"Reinette will probably be there," he told her, cringing.Rose pursed her lips.

 "You know, I think Jack might take care of her."

"Well, good, somebody should," He stood in front of her and watched her eyes. "I'm sorry."

She smiled at him. "We'll go to the party. And we'll come back here. And we'll sleep, and we'll get up tomorrow morning and everything will be fine. It's just a party," She reached out to cup his cheek. "And if Reinette tries something, I'll lap dance you or something."

Of course, she was just teasing, but he blushed hotly and she felt it against his palm. He laughed and looked away from her, trying not to feel quite awkward. He failed miserably and just smiled sheepishly at her. 

"I'm gonna go get dressed," she popped up on her toes to kiss his cheek. "Tell your Aunt and Donna not to wait up for us."

"What about Wilf?" John asked, only half kidding.

"He'll stay up whether we tell him to or not," Rose replied. At his worried look that had nothing to do with his grandfather, she stilled just below the stairs. "I'll be on your arm all night, John. You don't need to worry."

"No, I suppose I don't."

John dressed in a pair of new jeans (that Rose had helped him pick out that summer) and a t-shirt. Rose wore a swishing blue skirt that hit the middle of her thigh and a tight black vest top, as the weather was still warm and she was assuming there would be dancing. Jack was already gone, having left the address they were going to on the table. "We could walk," John said, peering at it, "It's club about two miles from here. Of course, we could get a taxi if you want."

She shook her head. "No, we can walk," She said, "it's nice out."

He reached out and took her hand, looking very nervous indeed. She stared at him. John wrinkled his nose at her, confused. "What?"

"Have you ever been to a party?"

"In London, with you," he replied innocently. 

Rose bit her lip. "But never... Never here."

"No friends to go with," He affirmed, "No one I wanted to see, no drinks I wanted to drink." He stroked the thumb of his free hand over her cheek. "I would've much rather been talking to you, and so I did."

 She cocked her head. "But I went to parties, occasionally."

"Hm."

"You knew I went to parties. You could've gone, just to see what it was like."John shook his head. "I told you, I didn't want to. I wanted to study and talk to you." He made a face, "Really, I don't know how you got stuck with me."

"I dunno, but I like it," she said, squeezing his hand in hers. The insecurity melted off of his face, and he smiled at her, pulling her out of the house. Rose wasn't really dressed for a club, all things considered, but that was alright by her. She wasn't here to pull anybody, like some people were who either were left without a soulmate or just rejected the idea of soulmates, as Mickey had for so long. 

 Jack wore a silver vest over a white, short sleeved button down when they found him, and dark slacks that clung to his legs. He approached them, a wide grin on his face. "You should dance!" He shouted over the incessant thump of the music. "Loosen up! You look like an old married couple!"

Rose grinned. "We sort of are!" She turned to John and tugged his hand. He smiled at her but turned back to Jack. 

"Who's throwing this party?"

"I don't know, just got an invitation."

"Of course you did."

"Let's dance, John," Rose's voice was so close to a purr that it slipped under the bass pounding in his ears and struck him right in the chest. 

 "Right," He pulled her into the heart of the crowd, much to her surprise and her delight. He didn't know what to do with her once he was there, but he knew that he was supposed to do something. She took the lead from him, wrapping her arms around his neck and drawing him close. His hands set upon her waist, one getting a little excited and slipping under her vest top. She smiled at him, telling him that she didn't really mind his placement. He pulled her a little closer at seeing how many men were already looking at her. He knew she was good looking, gorgeous, really, but couldn't they leave her alone? She was obviously his. He let his hand slide further up her shirt as he made eye contact with someone who was looking a little too boldly at her legs. He turned away quick as you like when he saw John's glare.

"Can it really be called a party if it's at a club?"

She threaded her hands into his hair and bumped her hips against his. "Yes," She said, close to his mouth.

Oh. _OH._ He'd heard about this kind of dancing in a club, and he knew Rose had certainly never done it before, but she had probably seen it.  And if she'd seen it, maybe she was curious about it.  He curled his fingers into the skin of her back in retaliation and drew her closer. 

"Well then, I guess we're gonna have quite the party, then," He said, and she smiled blindingly at his acceptance of her advances.  

She rested her forehead against his shoulder, letting herself move to the beat without any sort of reservations. John seemed to have a bit of trouble catching up and catching on, so she encouraged him to move with her with simple touches on his back or waist. 

"I've never-"

"Me either," she cut him off, "But I've seen enough telly to  know how this works."

Her breath puffed across his neck when she spoke, making him let out a whoosh of air. He heaved her closer and lowered his mouth to her neck, not knowing why, but knowing that it was _important_ that he touch her.  Immediately.  

She sighed and let her head tilt to the side, giving him better access to her neck.  He took it greedily, and with that combined with the warmth of his fingers on her back, she nearly lost her mind. 

"John," She whispered it into his hair as they were dancing, and she wasn't sure how he heard her, but he did. 

"Yeah?"

She giggled, not actually expecting a response. "No, I was just- I mean- John!"

He moved, ceasing his biting of her neck.  He grinned a little sheepishly.  "Too much for public consumption?"

She laughed and wound her arms tighter around his neck. "Just think it's about time that you kissed me properly, that's all."

John looked over her shoulder at the man who was still eyeing Rose. "You're right."

"John," she cupped his chin, forcing him to look at her.  "I came with you, don't you remember?"

"I know you did," he said, feeling a little silly for being insecure.  

"Tell me what he's staring at," she demanded.  

He gulped and wanted to remove his hand from underneath her vest, but didn't.  "Your legs."

Rose turned to look over her shoulder and made direct eye contact with the man who had been staring at her. "Oi!  These legs belong to someone, and it's not you, so sod off!"

The man's eyes widened and he shot off from them, finding somewhere else to dance.  Rose turned around and stared at John, her eyes dancing. 

"Feel better there, Captain Jealous?"

"I don't mean to be jealous," he said, "I know you- well, we, belong together, but it seems to be difficult to tell other men that."

She raised her eyebrows at him and moved against him, urging him back into the dance. "I could say the same thing about you," she said, "Apparently all sorts of hot blondes are trying to get with you."

"Oi, just the two, and you're the only one succeeding."

"I should hope so."

They danced for awhile longer until John tapped her back, literally 'tapping out' as he could no longer handle the intensity of touching her.  He suggested that they go and get a drink and she nodded, surprised that he even suggested it. 

She settled at the bar and he sat down next to her.  John ordered for both of them and Rose reached out to rest her foot on the rung of his bar stool.  She grinned at him.  "Are you having fun yet?" She shouted. 

He lifted a shoulder. "I'm with you," he said, "I always have fun when I'm with you."

She beamed even wider, "Yeah." She wrinkled her nose at him. "We don't have to do this all the time, John.  Just today is good enough for me." She reached over and took his hand, resting them both on the bar. 

"I want you to have what you want, I just-" he struggled to form the words.  "It's hard for me, to... Socialize."

She leaned her chin into her free hand.  "Yeah," she said softly, "I know.  And I'm not asking we club every weekend, I don't even _want_ that.  But I don't want us to stay in all the time.  I want us to get out and explore while we're young."

She grinned at him.  "Let's travel," she said as the bartender set his drink down.  "After we go to Uni, let's go to France, and Germany, and _America._ Let's go everywhere, and you won't have to worry about socializing because you won't know anybody there anyway.  How's that?"

He gripped her hand a little tighter and kissed her hand.  "Rose Tyler, that would be absolutely brilliant."

Rose couldn't believe that she was so lucky. This had to be the most perfect soulmate known to mankind.  And he belonged to her.


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There will be one more chapter of this! And then, the next AU! 
> 
> Enjoy the chapter!

They went to Uni, as most couples do, and it was incredibly painful for them to be without each other. It was lucky Rose was so clever and they were so close to each other.  She often went up to his off campus flat with Jack, and he came down to her dorm. Pretty much everyone at their respective schools knew exactly who they belonged to.  

One weekend, Rose traveled up to John's flat and he took her into a crushing hug the moment she stepped through the door.  As she was holding her bags, she couldn't really hug him back properly and giggled, patting his back with part of her free hand. 

"Hi," she said happily, smiling at him when he pulled back.

"I missed you," he said softly.  She grinned at him. 

"I missed you too, John," She tilted her chin up and he leaned down to kiss her, cupping her cheeks in his hands and holding her tightly against him.  She groaned a little, having missed the feel of his mouth on hers in the couple of weeks they hadn't seen each other.  

It was something odd, the idea of the soulmate, because once they'd seen each other and touched each other, they didn't' want to be without each other. Video chatting wasn't enough, and Rose had a feeling that it never would be. 

"How are your classes going?" he asked casually, taking her bags and taking them to his room.

"Good," she said, "Still having trouble with physics."

"Did you bring you book?"

"Yes."

"I can help you study tonight, if you'd like," he said, sounding actually timid, as though she might possibly say no to him. Of course, she never would, so she wasn't quite sure where he had gotten that idea from. 

"Great," she said, "But first, I think we need to get something to eat."

"Pizza?"

"Where's Jack?"

"Out?" John turned to her.  "He's always out on Fridays.  Why?"

She lifted a shoulder. "call in the pizza, will you? I'm gonna unpack."

He gave her another chaste kiss and disappeared from the room, humming a little mindless tune to himself. 

It was like being home, being in John's flat.  It felt like home, at least.  Almost more so than her own dorm, or her very own flat that she, once upon a time, had shared with her mum. She gave a little sigh and started to unpack her bags, placing the contents of them into the drawer that belonged to her when she stayed at John's place.  

He'd cleared out space for her everywhere, really. Whenever she came over, there was a cupboard open in case she had brought any of her favorite foods with her, and there was a section of the counter in the bathroom for her 'girly goos,' and inside the shower there was a apce for her shampoo and soap and conditioner.  It all felt dreadfully domestic and she loved every moment of it. 

She could hear him puttering about in the kitchen and considered going out to join him, but decided that she had other things to do first. if she didn't unpack now, she would get so caught up in him that she wouldn't do it at all. 

Once she was done, though, she skipped out into the kitchen and boosted herself up onto the counter, looking at him as he walked around and talked into the phone with the pizza people. After a few moments he turned and smiled at her. 

"Yes." he said it firmly, like he was making a business proposal or something, "Yes, sounds perfect. Thirty minutes. Thank you." he hung up and looked at her with a giant, goofy grin on his face. "Thirty minutes."

She giggled and beckoned him over, "I heard." 

He set his phone next to her and then placed his hands on her hips.  "Yep. Plenty of time."

'Oi, not for that," she said, thumping the side of his head before wrapping her arms around his neck. 

"Oh, come on now," he said, sighing dramatically, "A guy can dream, can't he?"

She sighed and tapped her lip with her pointer finger. "I suppose there's no harm in dreaming, not really."

"Oh, thank goodness," he gushed, and leaned forward to kiss her.  It started slow but turned heated as they reacquainted themselves together. She wrapped herself tight around him and he held her tighter, as if it had been years since he'd last seen her. Sometimes, it really felt that way.  

After several moments, Rose pulled away so she could catch her breath and he kissed a happy path down her neck, getting the time to suck a bruise into her neck.

She slapped his shoulder, "Git."

"Mm," he hummed against her skin. "I've got to do something, why don't you go to our room until the pizza gets here?"

She furrowed her brows at him. "Okay.  Hang on, are you sending me to my room?"

"I'm sending you to _our_ room, which is really much better, don't you think?" He squeezed her waist and she kicked her feet a little.

"Yeah, I guess it is," she said, "But you're being a little strange."

"Yes, I am."

"Okay," she kissed him again before sliding off the counter and pointed at her eyes with two fingers and then his.  "I'll be watching you though, I have eyes everywhere."

"Yes, my love, I'm sure you do."

"Mm hm," she went off to his room and sat down on his bed, pulling out the book that she had been reading the last time that she had been here.  She pulled it open and sat down, but couldn't focus on it. She had no idea what John was up to, not that she ever did, really, but it was a good try to think about it.

If she tried to _guess_ what he was up to? Well, that was one fight that she would never, never win.  But it was probably a good surprise, because he seemed very excited to surprise her, so it couldn't be anything bad... And he couldn't want to break up with her... Because they were soulmates. 

 _I have eyes everywhere,_ she reminded him in his head. 

She felt more than heard him yelp in the back of her head.   _Don't do that, I'm busy!"_

_Doing what?_

_That, Rose Tyler, is none of your business.  
_

_I think it might be._

_Get out of my head!  I'm trying to do something!"_ He was trying to sound menacing, but it wasn't working too well, so she just giggled. 

_Alright.  I love you._

His mental voice softened. _I love you too, you beautiful woman._

She pulled out of his head and tried to focus on her book again, although it was really, really even harder now. 

But finally, he spoke in her head, a beautiful whisper that cut into herself.   _Come out now, love._

_Is the pizza here?_

_Yes._

She grinned and set down her book, bounding out the bedroom door.  She immediately halted, though, when the light in the room was slightly red, and the room was dim.  She looked around the hallway. "What are you up to?" She asked John, but he wasn't around so it was pretty much no one in particular.  

The strains of a Glenn Miller song that they had learned to love over the years came filtering through the flat, and she smiled.  Oh, but this man was brilliant.  She rounded the corner into the tiny dining room and gasped.  

His table was very tiny, and draped in a red tablecloth.  Two place settings were on it, with steak, mashed potatoes, and some sort of vegetable.  A single white candle sat in the middle of the table, and to the left of the table stood John, wearing a brown pinstriped suit.  And chucks. 

"I didn't have any time to get shoes, I changed really fast in the bathroom.  And for your information, I cooked this across the hall and had my neighbors deliver it."

"Why?" She asked, grinning.

"So that you wouldn't smell it and suspect that we weren't getting pizza," he smiled sheepishly, "Is that alright?"

"Of course," she whispered.  "Thank you."

He grinned broadly. "Let's eat!"

"What's this all about?" She asked as he pulled out her chair for her.  "You're not usually like this."

"No, I'm not, but we've got a night without Jack and I intend to make it as special as possible."

She smiled softly at him, "Again, not like you. You're always moving, you are."

"True," he admitted. "But I want to settle in with you tonight, is that alright?"

He sounded so insecure about the whole ordeal that her heart melted for him. "John, of course it's alright, I love spending time with you."

They began their meal, and the easy chat felt between them, as it always did.  They chatted about this and that, how all their classes were going, and what they were doing as an extra curricular.  John was president of a few different clubs, and actually spoke to the people in the clubs, which was brand new. 

"Are the girls still flirting with you?" She asked, trying not to sound jealous.

"Um, that's the thing," he said, and Rose felt her stomach plummet.  Maybe he'd found somebody else and really did want to break up with her. She cocked her head at him.

"You... What?" She asked, leaning forward a little.  

"Yeah, see, the girls do flirt with me, and I think the boys flirt with you as well," he said, rushing it out, "So, I have something I need to ask you."

Oh, yes, this was it, the moment where he said that he'd loved having her as a soulmate but he'd decided he wanted to write his own destiny. He was just bored of her, and that was fine, she supposed... Except it wasn't.  Except she wanted to be with him forever and she wasn't sure if she could take it if he didn't want that with her. 

He reached across the small table and took her hand in his.  "Hi," he said, "Back with me now."

She smiled a little, embarrassed that he'd caught her sitting here, being insecure. "Sorry, yeah, I'm here."

"I wanted to talk to you about... Well, I...  If we.... Were more... Obnoxious about how together we were, then we wouldn't have that problem, and neither of us would have to be jealous or nervous."

She cocked an eyebrow, urging him to continue, since at the moment, he wasn't making a whole lot of sense.  

He blew out a breath and nodded. "What I'm saying is, that since we know we're going to be together forever, I want to make sure that happens sooner rather than later, because I can't be without you." 

With another breath, he slid off his chair and onto one knee before her.  "Rose Tyler, I want to grow old with you, but I want to live our young years as man and wife as well." he rushed through his pocket with one hand and then pulled out a little velvet box. he opened it to show a beautiful diamond ring with a rose gold band.  

"I want to marry you," he said softly, "Will you marry me, Rose?"

She had not been expecting this, and he had presented it so beautifully.  She reached out to cup his cheek with her free hand.  "Oh, you daft man, of _course_ I'll marry you." 

They got to their feet at the same time and he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her in to kiss her.  She ran her hands up into his hair and kept him there for several moments before he puled away, already gasping for air.  He pulled back just a little bit to take the ring out of its box and to reach for her hand.  She noticed he was shaking and she slid her hand into his. 

 "You didn't' think I would say no, did you?"

"Oh, I didn't know," he said softly, and slid the ring onto her finger.  "Perfect," He said, brushing his thumb over her fingers.  

She smiled up at him, and reached up to smooth the lapel of his coat.  "Yeah, I think we rather are."

He pressed another kiss to her mouth and pulled her in for a tight hug.  "I love you, Rose."

"I love you too, John."

She looked at her ring over his shoulder and squeezed him a little tighter.  Yes, they were beyond perfect.


	18. epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, this is the last one!!!!!! Loads of fluff for you here.
> 
> the next story is a AU that I'm writing for Tumblr, and it's based on another disney movie, so I hope you'll like it!!
> 
> Enjoy! Please review this story? Thank you all so much for reading!

The day had arrived, finally. They had waited until they both graduated Uni, which, with John's brilliance and Rose's diligent schedule, made sure it was only four years.  Of course, their families thought the four years was a very, very long engagement.  However, John was very thankful that Rose was wearing as ring, because most men stayed away.  

Rose liked when he got just a little bit possessive. He would hold her hand a little tighter in public, hold her a little closer.  But there was no limit to his love for her, and she was forever thankful that she had a soulmate.  

The wedding was in London, and when Rose asked him why he was alright with that, he shrugged.  

"You have more friends than me," he said softly.  "And.... They're my friends too."

She beamed at him, happy that he thought that of her friends as his friends too.  And that was true, really, because Shareen and Keisha positively adored him and Mickey didn't _hate_ him.  He'd made friends in Uni of course, but it wasn't quite the same, he said.

"So I really can't see you at all tomorrow?" John asked, leaning his chin in his hand and cocking any eyebrow at her.  

She took a sip of her tea and shook her head at him. "It's bad luck."

"But I know what you look like," he touched her leg with his foot under the table and she giggled, squirming away from him. 

"S'just bad luck!" She said, "You can't look at me, and that is absolutely final, do you hear me, John Smith?"

"Yes, I hear you.  Doesn't mean i'll listen."

She gasped, "No! You wouldn't."

he wouldn't, but she didn't' really need to know that, so he just smiled cryptically and took a sip of his coffee, winking at her. "See you tomorrow, my love."

They were sleeping separately that night, which was doing quite a number on both of them as neither liked to be separated from the other for too long.  He leaned over the table and kissed her goodbye.  He cupped her cheek and stroked his thumb over the skin there. 

"Sleep well," he whispered.

She smiled, loving his tender touch and affections. "See you tomorrow."

***

"Rose, now, don't freak out!"

"I'm not," Rose stood, staring at herself in the mirror.  Her dress fit perfectly, the flowers were beautiful, and her hair was done up beautifully in an updo with two tendrils of hair hanging down on either side of her face.  All in all, she looked beautiful, and anyone would tell her that whether she wanted to know or not.

"Then why are you staring at yourself like that?" Shareen asked, smoothing out the pink fabric of her bridesmaid's gown.

Rose turned to her friend, worrying her lip between her teeth. "What if he doesn't like it?"

"What, your dress?'

She nodded miserably, and Shareen snorted.

"Love, I promise, the man isn't looking at the dress, he's just thinking about what's under it."

She blushed hotly but she couldn't deny that that was probably true, to some extent, but she still hoped that John would think that she looked beautiful.  She puled her friend into a hug, crushing the material of her ballgown between them.

"Thanks," she whispered.

Shareen squeezed her friend back.  "Of course.  Bloody romantic, this is.  The two of you were the perfect soulmates  I've never seen anything like what you two have got, and I'm not sure I'd want to." She pulled back and grinned, "It's special, Rose, really properly special."

Rose smiled. She couldn't help but feel the same thing when it came to John.  He did feet rather perfect, in more ways than one, and she was so happy to have him. She pulled all the way back from her friend and smoothed her hands down her dress, trying not to wring them in front of her.

"You really think he'll like it?"

Shareen smiled at her friend's nervousness.  They were pledged to each other whether they got married or not, there was really nothing to be nervous about, but Shareen supposed it was law for a bride to get nervous before her wedding. She she smiled and nodded. "I think he'll love it."

Keisha tittered about Rose's dress, making sure the train fell just right and that everything with the bridesmaids was in order and _"Oh,_ the best man is missing again!"

Rose waved off that particular concern, "He's flirting with someone, he'll turn up."

Finally, the moment arrived when she was to walk down the aisle to the love of her life. She looked down each side of the aisle and saw Mickey, and his soulmate, Martha, Sylvia, Donna, and all of her and John's friends from Uni and school.  She looked over at her mum, who was walking her down the aisle.

"My baby's getting married," Jackie squeezed her daughter's arm, tears misting up in her eyes. "Are you ready?"

Rose nodded at once. "Yes. I'm ready."

The music started, and Rose could barely think about the rest of the procession as it went on, because she could see John straining against the people walking towards him, trying to catch a glimpse of her. 

"Oh, that man," Jackie sighed.  "Impatient, he is."

But as Rose walked down the aisle, she had a feeling that perhaps John was right to be so anxious to see her. He had never looked more gorgeous.  His hair was up and everywhere, like it always was.  He wasn't going to change anything for today.  His tuxedo was sharp and he wore a blue tie that made her smile.  She liked when he drifted from the norm. It was what he was built for, really, and she couldn't ask for anything better. 

The standard 'who gives this woman' talk was exchanged, and John took Rose's hands, holding her before him. 

"You are so lovely," he said softly, almost bashfully, like he had never admitted such a thing to her. She smiled and bit her lip, blushing. He chuckled a little and stroked his thumb over her fingers.  

The ceremony was read and John and Rose read their vows:

"I was... A very lonely boy as most of you know, I wasn't in the habit of speaking.  But this brilliant woman, or, though, she was a girl at the time... You showed up in my head, Rose, and you filled it with so much Rose that I wasn't sure that I would be able to sleep, it was so bright.  As the years went on, I began to realize that even if I could live without you, I wouldn't want to. That's a true soulmate. I love you with everything that I was, and everything I am, but I also love you with everything I plan to become," he paused there and had to, for he was starting to cry, but only a little.  "You are my world, Rose Tyler.  If I have you, I have everything and then some.  I can only hope to show you that for the rest of our lives."

Rose breathed out a sigh and mouthed 'thank you' to him before spouting her own words of what Shareen called 'absolute mush'.

"You, John Smith, are a surprising man.  You didn't talk to anyone but me, and I couldn't understand it.  I talked to everybody. But it seems that it doesn't matter, how many people you talk to or for how often, because there is something dreadfully special about having someone forever, and if I didn't have you, I'd have to steal you from someone else." The congregation laughed and tittered for a moment as John grinned like a loon, and Rose continued.  "This is not the end. This isn't just words that we say and then we go about our lives.  This is the start of the most wildly domestic life and I'm starting to think.... Well, maybe domestic isn't so bad after all."

"I do" was spoken, and John kissed Rose probably a bit too exuberantly, but that was alright. That's the nature of love.  

They sat in the limo headed to the airport and Rose curled up against him, her head on his shoulder, and her hand in both of his. 

"You are perfect," he murmured.  

She grinned, not wanting to accept that but really liking the compliment too much to fight it. "I love you."

"Oh! Brilliant," he said sarcastically. "I was beginning to wonder if you did." She giggled and he pressed his fingers to the rings on her finger.  "Mrs. Rose Smith." he said. 

"Oi, aren't I supposed to be the one fantasizing about my new name?" Rose asked him, watching the lights pass their windows. 

"Well, I did quite a bit of fantasizing about your name," John admitted. "Bloody brilliant name, isn't it?"

Rose nodded, surprised at his admission and feeling her chest blossom with warmth at the thought of it. "Yeah," she murmured to herself. "Absolutely _bloody_ brilliant."

***********

"Oi! Can I see my daughter now?"

Rose heard the moment of scuffling between John and her mother before the door swung open. John strode right to her side.  "They kicked us out."

Rose blinked sleep eyes at him. "You were bein' a little loud."

"Enthusiastic, you mean. It's called cheer leading."

"You don't cheer lead your wife while she's giving birth!" Jackie shouted, sounding completely baffled.

"Are they going to bring her?" John asked, ignoring Jackie's comment and Rose's laughter.  

As if on cue, the door opened and a nurse brought in a tiny baby girl, all wrapped up in a pink blanket.  "Here is your little girl," the nurse said, setting the baby in Rose's arms, "Have the two of you thought of a name?"

Rose looked at John, who nodded, not taking his eyes off the baby.  She looked down and smiled. 

"We're gonna call her Destiny," she whispered.  "Cause damn if that ain't real."

She watched as her husband reached into the blanket and the baby closed her tiny fingers around around one of his.  He made a quiet noise of delight.  

"She likes me," he whispered.  

"Well, yeah, you're her dad."

"Hi, Destiny," he whispered some more, as though talking too loud would make the baby scream.  "I'm your dad. This is your mum. I'm afraid you've made her rather tired."

Rose laughed breathlessly and kissed their baby on her little forehead. "Yeah, think I'd better get some sleep."

 _I love you,_ Rose whispered into his head, just for old times sake, really.

_Oh, my Rose, how I love you._

Jackie watched the two of them, all huddled up by the hospital bed with their baby, John cooing and Rose beaming at him like a loon, and smiled.  Oh, yes. This was one thing, just one thing, that they knew for certain. 

And it was perfect.


End file.
